House Jelleryn

House Jelleryn is a Taldan noble family located in the Avin Prefecture, who rule the Barony of Asterling. Asterford Keep is their family residence in Asteroford, a river village along the Brokenbridge River, of the Barony of Asterling. The current head of family is Ran Louis Jelleryn.

History
The house was formed by Taros Jelleryn. He was previous of House Jelleryn of Galt, which ran a country barony near Woodsedge. He fled Galt during Red Revolution after his father, Bernard, was one of the first nobles killed by the mobs; whom was innocent of the crimes they mob laid upon him, but the mob didn't care. Sensing that he was likely next, he gathered those loyal to his family with him and made the move to Taldor. He was a trading acquaintance of the previous Grand Duke of Avin, and sought refuge there. In need for a sensitive lord, he was granted Asterling to bring it back to prosperity after the previous family had ran it into the ground. Motivated by his good fortune, and being a proud he aimed to do just that.

Since then House Jelleryn have been a notable part of the Avin political climate. The founding Baron, Taros Jelleryn, was a principled ruler who took his opportunity in Taldor very seriously. A family whose males would serve with distinction in the Taldan Horse and were competent game hunters, and who women were noted for their beauty and dedication of the arts. It was a bit of a scandal when the family was given leave to adopt Lilianne, a Fey woman, into the House. The lady shook up the courts considerably, but generally helped the Jelleryns gain notority. After Taros Jelleryn passed away, his eldest son came to rule well bred for the role, and the future looked bright for House Jelleryn.

During the War for the Crown starting in 4719, House Jelleryn's fortunes took a turn for the worse. Knowing that Lilianne was not just an adopted sister but was a his father's illegitimate bastard, Ran Louis used the war as an excuse to send her away from the Barony. Although, a conflict with the Taldan Horse led to the death of his son, Trandel, and his brother Dolyn. Leaving Lilianne as next in line.

Unlike most of the Avin Prefecture, House Jelleryn backed the General during the War. So when Eutropia Stavian ascended to the throne, Baron Ran Louis faced considerable scrutiny from his piers. Something that hung over the House until the exiled Lilianne Jelleryn reached out to the Grand Princess to emancipate herself from the family brought things into a different focus.

Holdings

 * Main Article: Asterling


 * Asterling Barony
 * Asterford
 * Asterford Keep
 * Copperfield
 * Southbank
 * Tyre's Ridge

Taros Jelleryn
Race: Male Human, Taldan | Alignment: NG | Dates: 4639-4713 AR Titles: Baron of Asterling (former), Lord of Asterling (former)

Taros was a terse but honorable man, who believed that it was a lord's duty to be the servant to his people. He valued hard work, respect, honor and gratitude. Aspects he tried to instill in his children. His dislike for dishonesty, cruelty and lack of commitment were sentiments that spread down to most of his children. He was known as a game hunter of considerable skill.

He was married to Camille de Trois, as a favor to his old liege lord as a means to help save of his daughters from the revolution in Galt. He struggled to impress Camille, who obviously has been previously in a position for higher station back in Galt. They built a professional and productive relationship, but was short on love. Camille was a woman of exceptional breeding who did her duties whether she liked them or not.

Of his children, he would give the greatest attention initially to his oldest son, Ran Louis. Instilling him what the values his father placed upon him, and build a worthy successor. His eldest daughter, while loved by the man, was obviously cut of the same cloth of his wife. Her tragic death when she was so young, denied him the hope that they would be able relate with each other much better once she got older. He saw Dolyn as a lovable and honorable lad, and gave him a bit more freedom his first son; learning from his mistakes. Dolyn proved to quality knight that brought prestige to the Barony. Laudia was likewise given a longer leash. Of his naturally born children, he believed her to be the most earnest. He regretted arranging her marriage so young, and so far away from home; making her enough of a stranger that he had problems thinking of her as little more of a specter of the girl he knew.

One of the more scandalous things he did was bring home a Fey child into the house. He found the girl while hawking in Tyre's Ridge. She was wild, beautiful and frightened beyond all measure. He ignored the pleas of his banner-men to leave the creature be and instead calmly approached the girl, an elf-like fey of exotic color who was just a bit bigger than his youngest daughter Laudia. She calmed down, and they stared quite awhile before he reached out his hand to her. Which she accepted, taking the girl into his arms and rode back to his estate. Where he ordered his wife to educate the girl and make a lady out of her. Making those around him guess that he was a kind man that was giving the girl a place to be, and to serve as playmate to Laudia, thus he included her in his home as a foster child.

In his later years, his household left him with just his eldest son, and Lilianne. His relationship with Ran Louis, like his wife, was mostly professional. So only solace was the ageless Fey girl. He was quite proud that she developed into a lady of supernatural grace, flattery and charm. He would listen to her play her music, listen to her stories, and critique her painting with a love of a true parent. Many questioned his devotion to use his considerable influence to petition for his legal adoption of the girl into House Jelleryn. Which was largely ignored until Princess Eutropia (who had her own reasons for this, they just didn't pan out) backed the plan and he was allowed to name her as a Jelleryn in 4710 AR by placating her father on the matter; thus obtaining royal approval. He wanted her adopted mostly for selfish reasons of validation, but at the same token to see that she was taken care of. Knowing that she was well educated, he saw that she was given Tyre's Ridge to make sure she had a place since he knew his health was failing. In his last few years, he became a lot closer to Ran Louie. Expressing his pride and his confidence that his eldest son has things in hand; not only as a father, but future Baron. He got to watch his newly adopted daughter became an effective lord herself, and have the court dancing in circles now that she had the leverage to do so. Something that amused him greatly as a father, while he disapproved as a Baron.

Though, it was on his death bed that he confessed to his heir that Lilianne was not his adopted sister, but in fact his bastard daughter that he had legitimized. Explaining that he encountered the Fey woman known as Udakeekaida while hunting, bewitched by her unmatched beauty and coupled with her. Knowing that his life would be forfeit that had continued his dalliance, he fled following a following a starlit butterfly to safety. Years later, he encountered the same butterfly while hawking in Tyre's Ridge, and that was when he found Lilianne. He knew instinctively who she was. He pleaded that the family should be kept together and strong. He was confident that his son would do the right thing, that his bastard daughter was secure, and his other children hearty and hail. So he passed away peacefully in his sleep without the knowledge of how the House fell apart after his passing.

Camille Jelleryn
Race: Female Human, Chelexian | Alignment: LN | Dates: 4643- AR Titles: Baroness, Lady of Asterford (former)

Camille was rescued from the butchery of the Red Revolution by an arrangement between her father and Taros that saw her safely escape Galt to a quaint barony in Taldor. Taros wasn't what she wanted in a husband, and his lineage and his new holding were beneath her. While their marriage was mostly a professional and loveless affair, neither broke the vows of her marriage, or so she thought.

Her biggest source of contention with him was nuisance that was Lilianne. She knew that Lilianne was Taros' bastard daughter when he cheated on her with a Fey creature. She has wished a hundred times that he never brought that curse into her household, but he was not to be detoured. She never took a strong liking to Lilianne, and took it as a personal slight that Taros seemingly had more affection for the the girl than his other children. She believed he was addled when he managed to get her, a Fey, adopted into the nobility knowing the implications of him legitimizing her. Though, her betters agreed to it, so she knew better to object. Despite her hostility towards her husband, she was surprisingly remiss when he passed away. She always criticized him, and likely understood that his tryst with the Fey was likely against his will. He regrets that she never really thanked him for everything that he did do for her.

She took great offense when she was commanded to make a lady of the Lilianne. Though, her breeding demanded that she not disobey. Her and the girl were polar opposites and butted heads constantly; being defied by her at every turn. Though, she did manage to get results from the child. As a measure of professional pride, she was delighted how the girl's gift of grace, art, song, and needlework came along. Though, she was dismayed that the girl was so much better at it than her naturally born daughters. In her heart of hearts, Lilianne can never be considered one of her children, and she was a constant reminder of his husbands infidelity; despite understanding that his tryst with the Fey was likely against his will. Although, her sense of propriety demands that she treats her as such; be it formally or informally. A lot of her spirit was broken when her pride and joy, Sophine, died trying to deliver her own child.

Ran Louis Jelleryn
Race: Male Human, Taldan/Chelexian | Alignment: N | Dates: 4669- AR Titles: Baron of Asterling (current), Lord of Asterford (current)

Ran Louis (Ra-on Lou-ee) is the first child of his parents. As such, received a considerable amount of upbringing from both of them. From his father, he got his sense of respect, justice and duty. A fine interest for hawking, horse riding and other noble prerogatives. Ran Louis has an immense respect for his father and his accomplishments, but ultimately feels that he will never be able to live up to his legacy. While his mother drilled her sense of propriety and family commitment into him despite his feelings on the matter. While, he loves his mother dearly, he does recognize that she is a petty creature.

His relationship with his siblings was strongest with his little brother Dolyn. Being a bit jealous that Dolyn got to live his dream of being a knight, while Ran Louis was expected to learn how to administer and rule. His eldest sister was perhaps too close to his mother for his liking. While the two younger girls of the household were different enough in age that he rarely saw them between all of his duties. Of Lilianne, he saw her as an unneeded distraction in the family structure. All of his other siblings either married and moved off, or were giving service to the realm. So later in life he got to know Lilianne the best, and wasn't too put off when his father got the court to recognize her as a legal sibling to him but found her being landed with Tyre's Landing to be insulting. He respected his father's dedication to the woman after his passing, and was alleviated that she was his most competent vassal. Which inversely only slightly offsets her stress inducing antics in the courts, believing that his father's greatest challenge for him was not the just and fair rule of the Barony, but dealing with his adopted sister.

Although, at his deathbed of his father, he learned that Lilianne was not just an adopted sister, but his bastard half-sister. Born during an indiscretion with a Fey creature. Her natural competence and the love that Taros bestowed upon her had always made him jealous, but this news added a layer of resentment on top of that. Knowing that dirty secret that his mother knew all these days, he finally understood her resentment of Lily.

When the War for the Crown broke out, he saw an opportunity. He had her enrolled into a bardic college in Absalom to get her of his hair under guise of doing so for her own protection. Although, during the events of the civil conflict of succession of the Taldor Throne, his son Trandel's cavalry unit disappeared. Beseeching his brother to find his son, Dylon came out of retirement to track down his nephew. Both were confirmed killed. With Eutropia named Grand Princess of Taldor, he took a considerably hit to his stock since he had backed one of her opponents. He then used his brother-in-law's contacts in Absalom to try to work out a marriage arrangement using Lilianne into House Avenstar to save face. When that ultimately backfired, he arranged a quiet exile for his sister in Magnimar. After a couple of years of ignoring her letters, he would eventually pull his support and leave her to her own devices.

His political situation over time worsened, and darkened more than during the Tyrant's assault on Absalom he learned that his last remaining sister, Laudia, disappeared. He wrote Lilianne a letter informing her, despite what he thought of her he knew that her and Laudia were close. The response he got could not be believed. Apparently, Lilianne had formed an adventuring band and had been fighting some political war with the Fey of the Shadow Realm. Along with a formal request of her adoption be annulled, and she went even as far as to writing the Grand Princess. Her Majesty has now taken an interest in his sister, he's been ordered to get her to return home. A request that she has refused.

Sophine Gaster
Race: Female Human, Cheliaxian/Taldan | Alignment: LN | Dates: 4672-4694 AR 'Title: Countess

In terms of features Sophine takes after her mother's strong Cheliaxian bloodline. So she fit in nicely in the courts, which she always invested herself into. She made an observance to Shelyn and Abador, and was fair at doing art. While she presented herself well, others often found her to be too bitchy and demanding to deal with.

Sophine was a woman built in her mother's image. She reveled in her mother's instructions and praises, and developed into quite the people pleaser. Though, she took her position as eldest of her generation too seriously, as she lorded over the other two girls of the household. Sullying their achievements, and highlighting their failures was her privilege by right in her eyes. She never really thought much of either Laudia or Lilianne, the latter she never even remotely approved of; although, like her mother, didn't voice this openly. She was known to be quite pretty, a fact that she took a lot of pride in and would get upset if any young man's eye would wander to the two younger House women, Lilianne in particular; whom she was jealous of.

She entered a fortuitous marriage to an up and coming Count Fantaryn of House Gaster in Portimos. The man was delighted at first to land such a prize as Sophine, but was eventually put off by the high maintenance of the woman. She eventually became pregnant, and being a traditionalist opted for normal wet nurses over priests. Though, she died during complications of child birth. This was a considerable shock to both Houses. What no-one knows is that Sophine was actually poisoned during while giving birth to make it look like it was natural by a rival. The poisoner that actually did the deed, was conveniently killed when Fantaryn had the wet nurses hung for incompetence. His rival would also finish Fantaryn and his next wife 7 years later with a pact with a handful of harpies.

Dolyn Jelleryn
Race: Human, Cheliaxian/Taldan | Alignment: LG | Dates: 4676-4719 AR Titles: Knight-Captain, Lord of Southbank

Dolyn took more after his father's Taldan lineage, with his sandy blonde hair. He was known as an amiable man that invested himself into chivalry, knighthood, and hunting. Who enjoyed his tall tales, and wine.

Dolyn was the middle child of the family, and was allowed to follow more martial pursuits as a boy. So he naturally took advantage of the horse breeding and knighthood established in Southbank, and eventually because a cavalry officer in the Taldan for years until retirement as lord of Southbank when he was forty. He was largely ignored by his mother's expectations, and thus wasn't under the same level of scrutiny that Ran Louis and Sophine was. So he naturally took more to Lilianne and Laudia. Playing as a knight to the girls' fanciful stories when they were younger, and going on horse rides and fencing with them as they grew older; and was quite distraught that Lilianne was actually better fencer than him. Though, he was a much better fighter over all, but he always let her win. As he grew older, he actually developed quite the crush on Lilianne. He did his best to hide this fact, because he considered his desires to be impure and unlordly. Thus, she was able to overwhelm him with her whims quite frequently.

He was a noteworthy knight captain to his compatriots while serving the Taldan Horse. He was content to do his job enough not to pursue marriage, though he was debating it when he eventually retired as a retainer to his brother running Southbank. Where he, to his brother's irritation, only seemed to focus on knightly affairs and hobnobbing with visiting noteworthy individuals. He naturally sprung into action when reports about Trandels disappearnce came to light, a choice that would lead to his death and leave Ran Louis is a precarious position.

As Lilianne's magical power grew, she gained the knowledge to summon a celestial champion. To her surprise, the champion took the form of the gallant Dolyn much to her delight. Although, she hasn't sussed out either the champion is the actual Dolyn or a visage built from her memories.

Lilianne Jelleryn

 * see Lilianne Jelleryn

Laudia Dantvelre
Race: Female Human, Taldan/Cheliaxian | Alignment: NG | Dates: 4679- AR Maiden Name: Jelleryn | Titles: Baroness, Lady of Trader's Pass

Laudia despite her age is still a striking woman, though she never commanded the attention of men like her sisters did; particularly Lilianne. She is an average height and weight, keeping herself prim. Prides herself as being respectable but easy going. She enjoys stories, adventuress, duty, and most of her all, her children. She has little patience for bullies and filth.

Laudia was the youngest of Taros' children, and thus Lilianne and herself were given the more lax judgement by him. While they were the bottom of the totem pole to the domineering Camille and Sophine. Of all of the Jelleryn women, Lilianne is the closest to Laudia. Primarily, because they had similar rivals and were close in physical age during their young lives. Laudia was often the pawn to Lilianne's schemes, and would be delighted to no end by her ability to make something as benign as stealing some bread from the kitchens seem like that the grandest adventure that two girls could ever partake. Those simple enjoys of adventures and stories is something that Laudia still appreciates despite that she's now a woman in her mid forties.

She was married off to the Pykon Dantvelre of House Dantvelre, whose estates are along the river lands in North Tanbeck, to cement a trade partnership when she was pretty young. All of her time and energy has been consumed with a family of her own, being the mother of two sons, Landon and Daros. Who have grown into fine young men, but has her matronly ways rekindled by having within the last couple years become a grandmother with the birth of her granddaughter Lucia. Feeling her clock ticking, she recently became pregnant again, but miscarried the child to her immense grief.

Her memories of her family little more than a selective of collection of her impressions of her family and some very detailed joys. She only receives word from her family about major details, like Lilianne's questionable adoption, or the death of Dylon and her nephew Trandel. Which she receives with equal parts sadness and despondency; being married off as young as she was she has little recollection of what Asterling was like. Not that she regrets it, as motherhood has suited her well.

Despite the distance, she has stayed close to Lilianne by sharing written correspondence to each other. Laudia would tell Lilianne about her children, but in truth she was essentially living vicariously through her sister's lively exploits. When Lilianne was in Absalom, Laudia would often try to visit with her sister. Seeking some adventure of her own, Laudia looked into the Lockhart family since her sister wrote that her current lover was a member of the merchant family, and if they knew each other. In which she discovered that Emma Wellington's daughter was most likely sired by Giles, but he was able to learned from Angelis' inquiries with his Goddess that wasn't the case.

Laudia was in Absalom when the Whispering Tyrant attacked Absalom. It was then later discovered that she was in Shadow Absalom. While the details are not certain, it is assumed that Laudia and her family likely fled there to escape the destruction. Shadow Absalom's ruler, Argrinyxia took her in to ransom her. Ran Louis was unable to find the funds to have her released. While Lolayelle inquired Ambassador Themalaine to reach a settlement with the dragon. Argrinyxia's request was 30,000 in gold, and a painting from Lilianne. Just as she was making the final arrangements, she was ordered by the Shadow Court to halt negotiations because relations had soured between the dragon and the court.

Trandel Jelleryn
Race: Human, Taldan | Alignment: NG | Dates: 4692-4719 AR Titles: Knight

Trandel Jelleryn was a born to Ran Louis Jelleryn and Gemma Mosterly. His features are pretty much like that a Taldan, he was tall much like his father and grandfather. He was earnest man who, like most Jelleryn males, was an avid horsemen, and hunter. Being a knight, he valued loyal and honestly, while also loving adventure.

Trandel was Ran Louis only son. Raised in a similar fashion as his father, he was given extensive upbringing in the arts of ruling. Though, he was given more freedom to pursue martial training. So it was no surprise to anyone that he wished to obtain knighthood. He grew up in Asterford Keep with his immediate family, and idolized his grandfather. Growing up around Lilianne was strange for him. When he was a child, he was forbidden from associating with her from his mother, and grandmother. Because this was taboo, he naturally sought her in secret. She would then tell him fantastical tall tales and colorful dirt on the rest of the family as their secret, thus he grew a fondness for Aunt Lilianne.

He wed a comely woman from a neighboring Barony by the name of Esabelle Lannerly in the hopes of maintaining good relationships. Of all of Taros' family Trandel was most like him. Becoming more respectable and responsible from his service to the Taldan Horse; Taros feeling content that his family was seemingly left in a good place at time of his passing. Unfortunately that would unravel, as Trandel's patrol was went missing out in the events of the Twilight Child in Yanmass. Though Eutropia's agents got to the end of it; Trandel and his uncle were among the dead. Now leaving the family in a precarious position, while leaving his children, Oserya and Taros II, fatherless.