The story of the House of Malais isn't so much a story as it's a cautionary tale. Nobility in Elyria are often wealthy, powerful and in general self serving. The founder of House Maldis isn't any different. I apologize if you were hoping for a white knight, or even a decent fellow, but the patriarch of the family began as a pauper.
No orphan has it easy, even in the Duchy of Avalon. Tagrain was born to...well lets just say a woman of loose morals... Don't look at me that way I don't judge she did what she had to in order to feed herself, which is where the orphan part comes in. She knew her son would starve if she tried to raise him, so she sent him to Leighis'Anam where he would be raised in a group home.
Home... perhaps stretching it a bit, more like a testing ground for thugs, thieves and killers. Indeed it was common for the children to fight among themselves for scraps of food, or whatever donations might arrive from those trying to buy a way out from under their guilt. It was here that the patriarch first learned to fight, and then learned to win by cheating. The lesson he learned first he learned best. There is only what a man can and cannot do, honor meant little when you were trying to survive.
While this "home" had few rules, none of those residing there ever did any lasting harm to the others, it wouldn't do to have a bloodbath in an orphanage, who would then donate gold to such a place? Yet in a fight over something no one remembers Tagrain did just that... he maimed a younger boy when he tried to take a small dagger he found under Tagrain's bedding.
Forced to flee from his home, no longer having anyone looking out for him he learned quickly if he was to live he would have to take what he needed. His nefarious career ran afoul of the local guards on occasion but very soon he climbed his way to the top of the local gang of thugs.
Soon local shop keepers learned it best to pay him for protection, rather than relying on the local guards, and his fortunes took off. After a few months instead of being seen as a simple thug he was marketing himself and his friends as mercenaries. Mercenaries who quite by accident saved the only child of the local count from a rival band. In truth he simply wanted to wipe out the competition but for once luck was on his side and he found himself welcomed at the count's court.
By virtue of his rugged charm and the little fact he saved her life he quickly found himself in the bed of the count's daughter...then just as quickly married to the mother of his children...at sword point no less. The stories would have you believe he was responsible for his father-in-law's untimely demise, but truth is sometimes a handrail actually is rotten and cannot hold much weight.
With a new family and now a title of nobility weighing on his shoulders, for the first time in his life Tagrain worked to polish his image and do the right thing. His wife practiced in the art of diplomacy and his twin sons both strong of arm and mind quickly added to the house's prestige and Tagrain's desire to make something of himself.
A decade or two pass and he has earned his rightful place in certain circles of nobility. And his sons were married and quickly had families of their own. They were soon joined by their younger sister who was , when she reached the age of consent, married and began her family as well.
I know how is this a cautionary tale? The patriarch made his own way in the world and instilled a certain self reliance in his children and in due course it would be their turn to rule, but which one? His male heirs were twins, neither had earned their father's favor before his death, so the inheritance and leadership of the House was in dispute. A dispute they chose to solve in the same way their father would have... in a duel.
The problem with twins is they are usually very evenly matched, and in this case their strength was matched by an epic stubborn streak. Even after both were bloody and exhausted they continued to fight. Even as their wives tried to pull them apart they each landed a single final blow. Each twin falling to the ground in a sick wet thump. With both sons dead the ruler ship of the county fell to their sister who married a handsome young man named Malais.
You may think it strange to only now mention the founder of the House in question, but the hardship of the Maldis family was mirrored in the lives of the people of the county of Dubh'Anam. The county was poor and though Tagrain had tried to better it's fortunes he was hopelessly out of his depth. It is into this Malais stepped and with his lovely bride and his son and daughter became Count Malais of Dubh'Anam. Given all the hardship faced by his bride's family, Malais adopted their family motto, "Lucem in Tenebras" which means "In Darkness Light".
Educated at the capitol he was much better suited to rule, but the ravages of disease brought on by reoccurring food shortages in the outlining villages soon took the lives of his entire family. Having seen so many of his family die by disease the only surviving member of House Malais is obsessed with finding a poultice, or potion, even a salve that will cure disease and save what's left of his people.
Older, he is approaching his end, he can feel the cold fingers of death running down his spine.
So this is where I ask you dear reader, will you help him? Will you come to the aid of his people and help this old man save the county he inherited?
OOC (Ok I don't roleplay but given the game is built for it least I could do was give it a shot. Malais's Promise was my first attempt and this the second. I am looking for a few good folks to join my house and help govern my county.
I am a pledged count and I originally had a few friends from Rift/ESO who were going to join me but given some changes and perceived issues with SBS they have decided to pass and for the first time in a quite a while I find myself looking for friends. So if you are interested please PM me.)
