Clan Ainros
Sigil: [1st Rule of Ainros] A Horned Man, gripping a spear, [2nd Rule of Ainros] A Horned Man with a torch
Colors: [1st Rule of Ainros] Red and White, [2nd Rule of Ainros] Snow and Scarlet
Extinct The glorious Clan Ainros was the stuff of legends during the early Royal Age. For many years they were considered the foreordained rightful rulers of Revellia, and indeed the concepts of both primogeniture and divine right were solidified during the second era of their reign. Even though Revellia was officially converted to the Host of Hosts in the first era of Ainros rule, peasants of both faiths came to regard the clan as divine in stature, chosen by their particular divinities. "Ainros" means "great river" in the Aernigh Tongue, leading many to suggest the clan originally hailed from the Nightfall, deep in the western half of Revellia. Others suggest there had once been a great river somewhere in eastern Revellia.
Colors: [1st Rule of Ainros] Red and White, [2nd Rule of Ainros] Snow and Scarlet
Extinct The glorious Clan Ainros was the stuff of legends during the early Royal Age. For many years they were considered the foreordained rightful rulers of Revellia, and indeed the concepts of both primogeniture and divine right were solidified during the second era of their reign. Even though Revellia was officially converted to the Host of Hosts in the first era of Ainros rule, peasants of both faiths came to regard the clan as divine in stature, chosen by their particular divinities. "Ainros" means "great river" in the Aernigh Tongue, leading many to suggest the clan originally hailed from the Nightfall, deep in the western half of Revellia. Others suggest there had once been a great river somewhere in eastern Revellia.
History
The Ainros were originally a Western Clan living in the Fiirwood. At some point before recorded history, they left the woods and moved east, founding a fortress between the four great settlements of Eastern Revellia. This fortress, called Great Cross, would eventually become the site of enumerable battles, being perpetually destroyed and rebuilt. Such all happened long after Clan Ainros left the settlement, however. For their time there, Great Cross benefitted enormously by its advantageous positioning: not only did its central location help it to dominate trade, but it also sat at the northern edge of the Ithir Plains, the fertile fields where most of Revellia's produce is grown.
The First Rule of Ainros began after the fall of Clan Bastion. The Bastion Rebellion, when Harrek the Thief's many sons warred against one another, seemed to demonstrate how attainable kingship could be. When the notoriously brutal King Dorre Bastion died of a chill, Chief Greeyan Ainros immediately rose up against him. Chief Norran of Graunt joined him, and Corris "the Coward" Bastion was eventually compelled to flee the capitol of Aerwoth. From this time forth, the Ainros and Aerwoth would be linked in history and legend until the clan's death.
The First Rule of Ainros (701 RA - 732 RA) is viewed as a time of legends. Greeyan the Cold King proved as strong a monarch as Dorre Bastion had been, and supposedly reigned with the aid of magical tools: a crown, a torc, and sword all charmed with ancient Aernigh spells. None of these treasures remain, however. Greeyan was considered just, while his son Maitiu was called cunning. Maitiu converted the canton to the worship of the Host of Hosts, establishing the Ainros as Eastern Revellians, and connecting them directly to the King of Kings who (ostensibly) ruled over them all. Maitiu's son Reddum (sometimes called the False) was a callow boy even when grown, but his son Griin was oft called brave, and he too fought with a magic sword. Yet this sword could not save him from Clan Wulk's revolt against Host Keeping, which would bring about the First War of East and West, resulting in the Rule of the West (733 RA - 774 RA).
Griin's children fled Revellia during the War of East and West. His seven daughters spread to hostels in Ethel and Lorden, while two of his three sons fled to Ethelbrand (the eldest, Griiyan, died securing his brothers' escape). At least one of these two brothers survived to father children, for in 772 warships from the east attacked Aerwoth, led by Garland Ainros, the great grandson of King Griin (or merely his grandson, in some tellings). Garland's forces destroyed the Westerners, and the Second Rule of Ainros began.
Much more is known of this second era. Though oft regarded as a time of bygone elegance, chivalry, and valiance, the rule was more often defined by petty infighting with disastrous consequences. Garland's son Garland the Second took two wives, an outdated practice that led directly to the First Brothers Rebellion. Garland II's grandson Allad Ainros, from his second wife's line, was declared the heir, yet upon Garland II's death it was instead his son Garland III, from his first wife's line, who would seize the crown.
This unsurprisingly led to the Second Brothers Rebellion, between Prince Allad and his Uncle Garland III. Much terror and heartbreak from this war, yet it was ended by nature herself, as Garland III was struck by Springlight fever in 844 RA. A peace was reached just before he died, and Allad agreed to act as High Magus (regent) to Garland's son Galvan.
Allad's rule as High Magus was peaceful and prosperous, though his reputation was ever poor. Galvan would become known as Galvan the Great and reign for almost forty years, but in his sons were the seeds of the clan's undoing.
Prince Golbran, "the Ruby Prince," died in the Southern Rebellion, leaving two sons behind. Prince Geralt "the Black Dog" would die two years later, compelling Galvan the Great to withdraw shamefully from the Rebellion a year before its end. Geralt too left a son, Garlad, but it was Golbran's sons Glent and Sammis would would prove the undoing of Clan Ainros.
Galvan had a third son, Ruarc, who did not properly fight in the Southern Rebellion. He served as regent after Galvan's death. Prince Glent and Ruarc famously hated one another, and Ruarc showered affection on Garlad and Dienna, the children of the slain Prince Geralt. Ruarc even married Geralt's widow, Princess Edeina, leading many to suspect he was the true father of Garlad and Dienna. The two would have their own child, Ronart, shortly into their marriage.
Glent was the first son of the beloved Prince Golbran, "the Ruby Prince," and was therefore loved by the commons. Yet Glent himself was brutal, mean-spirited, and dull-witted. His younger brother Prince Sammis was said to be more cunning, but learned early on to imitate his brother's cruelty. Princess Aedein, born between Glent and Sammis, was equally forthright and often suffered abuse from Glent because of it. She spent much of her time defending Princess Gilda, the youngest of Golbran's children, from their two brothers.
When Glent became king, he immediately began exercising personal vendettas. He gave little though to rule or politics, and his terrible reign would compel the chief clans of Revellia to descend upon Aerwoth and force new terms of governance, called the First Compact, which gave lords greater rights in the canton. It was not long, however, before greater cruelty still would lead to the Witches' War, where Princess Aedein kidnapped Princess Dienna (whom Glent had planned to wed) and somehow took control of Castle Malbrand in the west. The various conflicts of this war would lead to another conflict between chiefs and king, producing the Second Compact, which declared Lord Barthos of House Beth the heir to King Glent, essentially disinheriting Clan Ainros. The Second War of East and West saw the death of the Princess Aedein and the disappearance of Princess Dienna.
Despite its legendary and glorious history, Clan Ainros would end in the basest of ways. King Glent forced his youngest sister Gilda to wed him, named her queen, and murdered her dignity by compelling her to bed against her will. It is rumored a child was born of this brutal union, but if so the child never saw daylight. Prince Ruarc gathered an army to arrest King Glent, and a great Trial was commenced, lasting nearly three years. Glent was executed for his crimes against his sister, the marriage was dissolved and Gilda robbed of her crown. Prince Sammis demanded the throne but was denied. Prince Ruarc was offered lordship of Aerwoth but refused, taking his family and moving into Ethel.
Prince Ruarc's descendants would become Clan Ainrei, who rule over Cantef today. In any other sense, Clan Ainros is considered extinct in the male line.
Disbandment
Officially, Clan Ainros died with Gwynt the Ghastly, who was executed in 923 RA.
DISBANDED/DISSOLVED
"Out of the Shadow"
Type
Geopolitical, Clan
Demonym
Ainros, Ainrosi, Ainroi
Parent Organization
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
- Aedein Ainros
- Carol Ainros
- Erick Ainros
- Fianna'al Ainros of Ainros
- Garlad Ainros
- Garland II Ainros - 14th Known Ruler of Revellia
- Geralt Ainros
- Gilda Ainros
- Golbran Ainros
- Greeyan Ainros - 6th Known Ruler of Revellia
- Griin Ainros - 9th Known Ruler of Revellia
- Hanwyth the Hostly
- Illel'Nyl Ainros, from House Halleth'Ull
- Jona Ainros
- Kirin Ainros o Rutach
- Maitiu Ainros - 7th Known Ruler of Revellia
- Ruarc Ainros
- Sammis Ainros
- Thal'Dun Ainros
- Uithael Wonder
- Wynid Wild
Related Ethnicities