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House Ashford de Falstaff

‘Peccata patris...’ - ‘Sins of the father...’

House Holdings

The County of Leuven, Kingdom of Haense, Empire of Man

The Barony of Guise, Principality of Vilachia, Empire of Man

The Falstaff Household

LORD CONRAD-BALDWIN, the Count of Leuven

-his first wife, [ELIZABETH DE POUSSEY]

        -their first daughter, JULIETTE CATHERINE

        -their second daughter, SUZANNE AMELIA

        -their third daughter, LUCILLE ANTOINETTE

-his second wife, VALERIE VESNIC CARRION

-his parents;

        -his father, LYSANDER ALBERT

        -his mother, JEANNE ANTOINETTE DE VALOIS

-his siblings;

        -his brother, LAERTES JAMES, a holy warrior sworn to celibacy

        -his sister, LUCRECIA ANETTE, famed winemaker and viticulturist of Leuven

-his extended family;

        -his uncle, [BERNARDE TITUS], killed at the Sacking of Ves

        -his wife, [JESSICA D’AESTERWALD]

        -ARMANDE VIBIUS, Bernarde’s only legitimate son, a knight of the court

        -CECIL ASHES, Bernarde’s bastard son, mother unknown

        -his great uncle, BANQUO THE BASTARD, knight and troubadour with a penchant for drink

        -LORD HENRI THE TWICE-BASTARD, the Baron of Guise, bastard son of Banquo

-his court;

        -Conrad’s ward, HELTON HADRIAN HELVETS, sent overseas by his family for marriage, now trapped upon the continent

        -LORD CHADWICK MORRIS, of House Morris, exile of the Imperial Court for his support of Adria, currently emissary to the Haeseni Crown

        -LORD BRADLEY MORRIS, of House Morris, brother to Chadwick and lewd orator

        -BRUBE OF REZA, a former member of the Haeseni royal family, cast-out and bastardized by his cousin.

        -JEAN-PAUL DE BEAUVOIR, a musician and professional courtier

        -BEREN DE RENZFELD, an armiger in the military and advisor of the Count.

House Relics

Sword of Saint Lothar de Balain - The reputed sword of the famed crusader Saint Lothar, a companion of the Prophet Owyn, which was reclaimed by Ser Baldwin during the Tarchary Crusades. He used the blade in the assassination of his famous kinsmen, Guy de Bar and his many kin; leaving the sword reportedly cursed. To common legend, the sword grants swiftness in thought, but leaves its wielder inevitably mad.

The Himmel Statue - The stone husk of famed crusader Stefan Himmel, former companion of Ser Baldwin the Black during his Tarchary Crusades, who was turned to solid rock following a fight with a pagan mage. The statue was kept and maintained by Baldwin and his successors, with the common belief that it will return to life during a period of great turmoil.

The Vawdre Jewels - The former jewels of the d’Vawdre family, formerly a rich and powerful gentry heartland clan known for their wealth and opulence. When the house was put to the sword by the Romstun armies, Ser Rosencrantz secured many of his wife’s (a member of the d’Vawdres) family riches, including their iconic set of jewels. They include three large green emeralds and five smaller sapphires, cut into separate brooches of silver and gold.

Widowslay - The proud executioner’s blade used to destroy the wicked witch Ceriwyn. The blade feels slightly cold to the touch. Saved from the burning ruins of Aldersport by Guildenstern Ashes, and left to his only kin, his nephew Rosencrantz.

Eleanora’s Comb and Spoon - A fine ebony comb with gold enamel trimming, and a single Helvetian silver spoon. Both were given as gifts by the madam Eleanora Reneé Helvets to her suitor Duke Jon Renault de Savoie, then hastily given to his baseborn daughter Amelia.

The Signet of Ser Adelric de Bar - A delicate golden band with the heraldry of the House de Bar stamped into the seal. A treasure of a late ***** and concubine; mother to the baseborn Ser Thomas Wettlock, known by his epithet ‘Ironsides’. A former servant and longtime friend, the ring was entrusted to Albert Louis de Falstaff for safekeeping.

House Traits

The mainline of House de Falstaff has a rather distinct look in comparison to other Heartland houses, but share their unifying traits of thick blonde hair coming from their Rovin origins.

House Histories

The origin of this cadet branch of Ashford is stooped in betrayal and wrought from the brink of ruination.

Ser Baldwin ‘the Black’ (1500-1528)

One must first look at the tragic tale of Baldwin de Bar, the progenitor of this line. His very birth the result of Savoyard political machination, Baldwin was thrust into a life a intrigue and paranoia that would haunt him until the day he died. He was from the unhappy matrilineal marriage of Frederique de Bar and Otto Rovin, part of the cruel plan of Guy de Bar in hopes of embarrassing the dubious Rovin line, who had never forgiven the Savoyards for their complicitness in the coup of Emperor Robert I and Chivay dynasty, as they had always been stalwart Chivay loyalists since the Exodus. Given him being the subject of a matrilineal marriage Baldwin oft found himself scorned by his haughty Ashford kin, and found that he identified more comfortably with his noble highlander and kaedreni lineage. Thus he took little part in the Duke’s War, only nominally supporting his ruling kin, by necessity more than anything else, though he saw the whole debacle as trivial and needless, becoming even more greatly disenfranchised from his kin at two key events, firstly the burning of the Brelus Cathedral, as by this point Baldwin was a very pious man (which would prove evident soon after) and then the subsequent mass culling of the ruling Sarkozic line of Adria. Soon after he joined in service to the Church under Daniel II, and participated in the Tarchary crusades, for his service thereafter he was given the title of Holy Ser and lordship over the colonial port of Luciensport.

During his crusading career, he came into contact with the Aeldinic agent known only as ‘Brother Polycarp’ (who would later turn out to be Charles Henry Horen). Through this associate he would become involved in the conspiracy to restore the Holy Orenian Empire under John Frederick Horen, Polycarp’s son. Originally refusing participation, he changed his mind in 1525 when his uncle and then King of Oren, Guy de Bar, refused to imprison both his son and courtier Sergius de Bar and Arstan Bedell for war crimes during the Dukes’ War. And so in 1526, Baldwin lured his begrudged uncle Guy outside to the chessboard in the Praha palace gardens, where the King was stabbed to death by Baldwin’s fellow co-conspirators. John I swiftly rose thereafter to the newly-restored imperial throne, and in recognition for his service, the Emperor granted Baldwin the title of Imperial Spymaster on his small council. During this time, Baldwin married Elaine Briarwood, a minor Kaedreni noblewoman, with whom he had one son and heir, Albert Louis. Through his short career in the Johannian court, he orchestrated numerous assassinations of potential claimants, including four of his cousins and two sons of former King Guy, Sergius and Ferdinand. However, Baldwin’s betrayal of his kinsmen would eventually catch up to him, and he would meet his end not two years later in 1528 in a duel against his uncle and cousin Adrian and Adelric de Bar respectively, who had sought vengeance for their fallen kinsmen (the latter of whom he slew, but falling to Adrian’s blade after.)

Ser Albert Louis de Falstaff (1524-1573)

Born into the looming halls and echoing staircases of the Imperial Palace of Ancelcourt, Albert Louis knew little of life outside it. Given his father’s service in the installation of John I to the throne, the Emperor did in turn allow Baldwin’s widow and new born son to remain in the palace.Thus he grew up amongst the nobles of the court allowed a single servant in a simple farmboy; yet given the ties his father had burned with the rest of his kin, he was oft alone. Again, due to the actions of his father, when he reached of age, the Emperor did decree that he would squire under the Grand Knight Maric Horen-Vimmark, and he did so. And thus he moved to the pearly shores of Dragons Roost, and spent most of his days jousting or sparring, living a pleasant, gentle life there where he was instilled with and educated in the Knightly virtues. Then upon the day of his Knighthood, at the Imperial Palace, as he prepared to take his vows before Emperor and God, Adrian de Bar out of vengeance publicly denounced him from his familial roots, recompense for the actions of his late father Baldwin. Albert Louis then served in the last two years of the Eighteen Years War against the dwarves (from 1545-1547), and for his service to the crown was granted the fiefdom of Falstaff in the conquered lands of Cascadia (only miles from his father’s original hold of Luciensport), from where he would derive his name and found his cadet house, the House Ashford de Falstaff. Not long after he married Karoline Barrow, the bastard daughter of Duke Otto II of Carnatia, and had two sons, Barnabas Cedrik (known to most as ‘Bors’) and Odo Hugh, he reclined to a life of simplicity and farming on the frontier. Content in his fiefdom, he died in 1573.

Ser Barnabas Cedrik ‘Bors’ de Falstaff (1546-1607)

Bors was never going to be as content as his father. He had not grown up in the leisure of an Imperial Palace, rather the small and humble demesne of his father. From an early age he pursued ambition and quickly found a place and friendship with the young Jon Renault, Duke of Savoy, his distant kinsman. He made his home in the Blackwald and served as Chamberlain of Aldersport. There he stayed idle, but content, fighting in the War of Orcish Submission and the Rurikid Uprisings. When Emperor Philip Frederick I summoned the Savoyards to his court, Bors stayed behind to maintain the city and guard Jon’s wards, his bastard twins Guildenstern and Amelia Ashes. Once he heard the news of the last charge of Savoy, he quickly stole the girl out of the city, watching in the dark as the Imperial hordes came and burned the city to the ground.

Enraged by the death of his friend and seeking refuge for himself and Jon’s daughter, he sought refuge with his old friend, and known anti-imperial Arthur Vimmark in his castle Ostwick. There, Arthur convinced him to join in a plot to rebel against the Emperor, and introduced him to the Staunton brothers. There, in the stronghold of Ostwick, Bors used his quick wits and silver tongue to help form and lead the rebel force that would go on to become victorious in the Coalition War. Upon their victory, and the establishment of the Kingdoms of Courland and Lotharingia, Bors held respective knighthoods in both kingdoms, eventually settling in Metz and becoming the pedagogue of the young Prince Lothar d’Amaury. He married Amelia, the girl he had saved from Aldersport and had a son, Rosencrantz. However upon Lothar I’s assassination by radicals attempting to put Princess Anna Sophia of Pruvia on the throne, Bors lost his political position at court and took young Hughes, John I’s youngest son away into hiding with the Bastard’s Band (a mercenary group that had been formed by Guildenstern, his once ward) for fear that the assassins would come after the boy next. However, he died shortly after from infection of a leg wound in 1607.    

Ser Rosencrans Jon de Falstaff  ‘the Hangman’ (1595-1643)

Having grown up at the heels of his uncle Guildenstern, Rosencrantz came to idolise him, and it was therefore no surprise that when Guildenstern formed The Bastard’s Band, Rosencrantz ran off from his father Bors’ position in Lotharingia to join him. He roved around like this, fulfilling various mercenary contracts until his father brought the young Hughes, who was only a little younger than himself, and they spent two years becoming fast friends. Then shortly after the death of Bors, Hughes came before Guildenstern and his cohorts and requested they support him in reclaiming his rightful place on the Throne of Lotharingia, which had been taken, after the assassination of his other brother Philip Owyn, by his cousin Odo d’Amaury (styled Odo I, King of Lotharingia). What soon followed was a deft and quickly orchestrated coup d’état, as the young Hughes had much support within his cousins’ privy. Namely Hughes, flanked by the Bastard’s Band, having been smuggled into the palace by Odo’s very own marshal John Frederick de Capua. Where Rosencrantz, himself restrained Odo and cast him from the city. However, after the coup, in a gesture of good faith, Hughes I offered the position of chancellor on his privy to Odo, who courteously accepted. In thanks for his help and in a show of good faith for their many years of friendship, Hughes I knighted Rosencrantz, and gave him the moniker ‘the Hangman’ for he had been executioner of many of Hughes I’s enemies in such a way.

With Hughes in power, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz set about re-establishing the Order of Saint Peter, an owynist military order created by the late Jon Renault, Guildenstern’s father. It was through the OSP that Hughes I first established military security within the city of New Metz, although as the new Marshal gathered more strength and increased his recruitment their power weigned, their final outing being at the Second Battle of Rothswood, where Lotharingian aide would help secure Ruthern independence from the Kingdom of Courland (who it was publicly believed at the time were involved in the assassinations of both Lothar I and Philip I), which lead way to the reformation of the Sixth Holy Orenian Empire, by John V. After he returned from the battle Rosencrantz proceeded to marry his Lotharingian sweetheart Alyda d’Vawdré posthaste. It was by this time that Odo left the court and was not seen again in Hughes I’s reign (he returned later in Leufroy I’s reign), some say he left because he did not agree with the decision to re-vassalise under Oren, others say he left when he saw the King take less and less heed of his council, turning to Rosencrantz instead. So it came as no surprise to any that almost no sooner than Odo had left the building, then Hughes I had named Rosencrantz as his new chancellor. However his time as chancellor would be met with immediate turbulence, as shortly afterwards the Romstun hordes declared war on the duchy, with the ambition of wiping it out, and although they claimed a vague casus belli dating back to his grandfather Augustus d’Amaury’s slight of the Dunamis mercenary company. It was at the site of Castle d’Vawdré (the seat of Rosencrantz’ father in law) where tragedy struck, and the castle was taken and burned, and Hughes I, captured by the Romstun men, and later executed. In the absence of the King and no natural heir to be found, the privy and lords of Lotharingia declared a state of interregnum and Rosencrantz was declared Regent of the Kingdom. However this only went on to last for a few months as from out of the woodwork Leufroy, Odo’s eldest son came and since he was the only available and eligible candidate, the Lords of Lotharingia had no choice but to bow to him and declare him King. However, Rosencrantz was less than impressed, finding great fault with Leufroy I’s path of appeasement to the Romstuns who had just murdered the previous King, and it was after such toils  of character that Leufroy I relieved him of his duties as Chancellor. Finally, when Leufroy I declared the Lotharingia-Romstun Accord of 1615 in which peace was bought through the ceding of land and handing over of coin, Rosencrantz up and took off, absconding with his then ward Leufroy’s younger sister Raclette d’Amaury, taking with him the last vestiges’ of the Order of Saint Peter and the Bastard’s Band.He eventually settled in Adelburg, after the condemnation of the Romstun’s by Emperor Peter II Horen and participated in the succeeding war against them..He proceeded to fight in the War of the Beards, finally leaving and joining Frederick I, King of Marna in the construction of Sennisten, where he later died.                       

Leontes Hughes de Falstaff (1615-1692)

By the time he had reached his first birthday, he was already on the road. Having grown up motherless, he quickly became bereft of both softness and direction, becoming a rabble rouser and general miscreant, often stealing purses from the gruff savoyard soldiers of his father’s company, which would be met with swift beatings from Rosencrans. His father quickly began to notice his lack of decorum, growing dissatisfied with the man he was becoming. He decided enlisted him to study under Oren, around the time of his 16th birthday. He was sent to the Imperial Court to learn under the counsel of the 6th Empire, for a short period of time until it's inevitable collapse. A few years passed without much of note before Leontes found his way into the court of Peter Sigismund. In his late twenties the Emperor grew fond of the advisory roles Leontes had taken up. Peter saw fit to give him a more appropriate title, granting him the role of royal advisor, a position underneath the Archchancellor, Heren of Metterden.

After a few years in the Imperial Court Peter Sigismund disappeared, leading way for his son, John Maximillian, better known as John VI to take the throne. Leontes remained loyal to the new Emperor. During this period he married his childhood sweetheart, Raclette d’Amaury whom they gave birth to two true sons, Lysander Albert and Bernard Titus. Leontes was also remembered for his lustful nature. On top of his two trueborn sons he had a bastard known as Banquo with a mysterious courtier.

After the ill-times assassination of John VI Lysander left the Imperial court and his position as advisor, making way with the rest of his Heartland contingent to join his close ally Frederick Pius, helping him form the Kingdom of Marna.

Lysander Albert de Falstaff (1643-1704)

Lysander found prominence within the Kingdom of Marna very early in his life. Born into nobility the child spent his early years studying Marnantine law, quickly impressing his peers and the King himself, Frederick I. Lysander’s father Leontes proved rather frivolous with his spendings, leaving Lysander deeply in debt by the time of his death. Despite his misfortune Lysander showed himself to be an acute statesman, quickly working his way out of debt with the help of Owyn Leopold, the Seneschal of the Kingdom.

Lysander did not have the same relations as his father within court, finding it difficult to rise up in stature. From a very young age he grew up reading of the exploits of former Emperors, wishing a similar life for himself, despite his family’s denouncement. Although he never found the success himself he instilled the same values onto his sons, Conrad and Laertes. Soon after Lysander and his wife, Jeanne Antoinette de Valois had their first children he enlisted them into the service of Bernard Titus, an acute statesman and diplomat within Marna. Their early years were spent studying the intricacies of court, and the intrigue that enveloped the grandiose lifestyle. Conrad quickly rose up in political relevance, his brother Laertes more interested in a life of cloth and sword than the politics of the realm.