"The weak should fear the strong." ISTRIA "Pain is the level of all your Fears." The unofficial motto of the ducal House de Sola, and now the credo every Istriot goes to bed reciting. It began as a commonly quoted statement from a passage in Vibius' renowned memoirs, "Commentaries on the Dwarven War". The Duchy of Istria is yet another crown vassal and the frontier gate to the Holy Orenian Empire, north of the Cloud Temple and south of the Imperial capital city, Felsen. Once the Barony of Dour Watch, then a Margraviate, Istria came to fruition when Titus de Sola, Lord Justiciar and Royal General of Cavalry was granted the title by the Ashford King of Oren due to the Margraviate’s service to the Reformed Kingdom during the infamous Duke’s War. The current capital of Istria is Ravenna. BRIEF HISTORY Not shortly after his formation of Istria and the delegation of land to his vassals, Duke Titus sailed for Aeldin on business with his maternal Horen kinsmen. He served the Horen regime of Aeldin for a number of years before death caught up with him in his late fifties. During which time, multiple ducal regents came and went, by the names of Otho de Capua, the dishonored Octavius Falkenrath and Guile de Sola. When the youngest born son of the late Titus, Vanderus de Sola arrived in the Fifth Empire of Oren, he was appointed Grand Executor of the Privy Council, the Emperor entitling the final regent Guile with the duchy on his request. Under new office, the Duchy began to grow. Bundling counties emerged from Laria and Pompourelia, and the number of Istriot citizens grew exponentially. Military prowess came to a stop and the agricultural industry of Istria flourished. As determined by GOD, not all things may be as they are forever, as the noble counts Arthur Roswell and Octavius Falkenrath were discovered feuding over claims of alleged treason on Falkenrath. Duke Guile was rendered unable to stop the two bickering lords due to later fatal complications with gout, and the Duchy was hurled unto the brink of internal destruction. It was ultimately ended when John I, Holy Orenian Emperor intervened, hosting the Diet of Metz in 1532. The results of Emperor John’s impact were increasingly effective as the years progressed. The feud between the two Istriot houses was formally dissolved, and the title of duke was transferred to Philip de Sola, grandson of the late Titus. However underage and inexperienced, a regency council of 5 prominent members of the Empire was formed. Count Octavius Falkenrath was beheaded in Alsace on charge of treason for orchestrating the deaths of Dukes Titus and Guile de Sola of Istria. Without a proper heir to succeed, Philip Augustus de Capua was installed as the new Count of Laria. CULTURE OF ISTRIA Although cosmopolitan, the majority of Istria’s denizens are known colloquially as Istriots. It is a culture that branches from Kaedreni heritage from ages past, with one of the first Istriots in history being Benedict de Sola. While common is the dominantly spoken language for citizens within Istria (including Istriots), the true vernacular this culture of people possesses is a use of Aeldinic Flexio, the ancient language also globally known as the most holy dialect. Flexio has been primarily used for naming conventions in Istria, including the Duchy’s own namesake. Laria, Pompourelia, and Ravenna have all been named after ancient territories of Flexian realms long forgotten. Istriot culture is not to be mistaken for Illatian, for the two derive from completely different origins despite many of their similarities. Istriots have been known to uphold a strong military reputation. The soldiers of Lorraine came from Istria after all, when Augustus de Sola created his own cadet branch, d’Amaury. During the Duke’s War, it is safe to have said that the Barony of Dour Watch could rally more men than most of the other Crown vassals of the time. DIRECT VASSALS OF ISTRIA Istriot families and their respective fiefs are as labeled. House de Sola of Ravenna, the Mustang of Red and White Direct descendants of the most influential dynast, Lord Marshal Vibius de Sola of the Imperium Tertius, House de Sola is a Grand House of the Empire within Vailor and Aeldin. It is an ancient Aegisian family of Kaedreni heritage, once holding members of the Order of the White Rose and the Imperial Army. The coat of arms of de Sola has also been seen as black and gold. The seat of power in de Sola and Istria is Ravenna. House Roswell of Pompourelia, the Crane of Black and Maroon Ennobled in the past 50 years, House Roswell has been the most loyal of them all to both Istria, and the Holy Orenian Empire. The current patriarch of the family is Arthur Roswell, Knight and Count of Pompourelia. House de Capua of Laria, the Mustang of White and Red A cadet branch of House de Sola, formed by the legitimized bastard of Titus de Sola, Otho. The family’s heraldry is an inverse version to the original coat of arms. The County of Laria has ceded to the de Capuas after the Falkenrath Conspiracy ended, and the current patriarch and Count is Philip Augustus de Capua, son of Otho.
