The Fallen House of Ravenrook

The Ravenrook family estate still stands on the edge of Shadowkeep, a warning, and memorial to those who oppose the city's nobles. The once-snow-white walls are overgrown with ivy, and the windows are hollow and empty, like the house itself. And yet... something about this house still frightens the other families. Like it's just waiting... After all, they didn't kill everyone, did they? Young Lady Ravenrook has disappeared. Someone must know where she went, but who? Who betrayed the conspiracy that destroyed the once-powerful house?

The House of Ravenrook was a noble family in Duskwood, who had estates in Ravenspire, at the Ebonpeak Mountains, and near Eichenwald. The family belonged to the High Nobility of Duskwood, with close bonds to the royal family. Lord Jonathan Ravenrook was even the godfather of the current queen.

Important Family Members

The most important family members were those, who lived on the central estate in Ravenspire. The leader of the noble house was His Grace, the Duke of Veilwood, Jonathan Phillip Christopher Ravenrook. He was the brother of the former queen, Arabella Blackwood.

His wife, the Duchess of Veilwood, Lady Genevieve Jessamine Ravenrook, was a daughter of House Ashcroft and married her husband when she was 19. She gave birth to their only daughter, Princess Celia Morghan Ravenrook but was injured with poison during childbirth, so she was infertile from that moment. The noble houses of Duskwood demanded that his grace divorce his wife to get a male heir, but he insisted, that his daughter was his heiress.

The Attack

On Nightfall 5th 1179 SA masqued assassins and troops from other noble houses of Ravenspire broke into House Ravenrook. They entered the estate through the windows in the front of the house, as well as through the kitchen in the back. The cook and two maidservants were slaughtered in the servants tract of the estate, before the attackers moved on. The butler fell in the entrance hall. The last maidservant was found in the library, and killed there.

Lady Genevieve was found in the bedroom, and died without any significant opposition, while Lord Ravenrook was later found in the bedroom of his daughter. He fought hard and intense, and managed to hit an attacker with his rapier, leaving a deep, bleeding wound which would eventually become a scar.

The bed of Lady Celia, however, was empty. It was clearly visible that the young girl laid in there and slept, but when the attackers came into the room, she was already gone. They searched the house from basement to attic, but did not find the young lady.

The Aftermath

While the attackers managed to kill both, Duke and Duchess, they didn't find one of the servants, and they did not kill Lady Celia. The young servant boy went to the mayor and pointed the conspiracy and attack out. He also told him, that Lady Celia escaped and was still alive. While he wasn't able to describe all attackers, it was enough to point out that Lord Victor Blackthorn was among them.

During the following trial, Lord Blackthorn accused Duke Veilwood to be part of a vampiric conspiracy, who wanted to overthrow the nobility of the city, and of the nation. He also claimed, that since he did what the high court didn't do, the estates of Lord Ravenrook would become his. The mayor, on the other hand, stated that Lady Celia was still alive, and by the law the only legitimate heiress. He also brought a letter of Duke Veilwood, which gave the mayor full control of the estates, until Lady Celia becomes an adult, or her death is proven.

OGL

Leader Title

Duke Veilwood

Location

Ravenspire

Related Species

• Dhampir
• Human
• Vampire

Clues about Lady Celia

• There was nothing missing from her bedroom, not even a dress or shoes. She must have been in the house during the events of the attack.
• Lady Celia was very well known for her pitch black hair, and her steel blue eyes. She would certainly draw attention, if she appeared somewhere.
• Unlike other noble children, Celia went to Ravenrook School with worker's children. The children were pretty defensive after her disappearance.
• Rumor has it, that Harwood Hall, as well as Ravenrook Castle are still inhabited. If people visit these places, there is noone there.
• A few days ago, a rich stranger came to the city. He brought his young wife with him, and rented Harwood Hall, as well as the mines belonging to that. People say, that he wants to live in the estate with his wife.
• Lady Emely, the most powerful vampire in the city, was friends with Lord Ravenrook. Her estate borders Ravenrook Estate.

Surviving Family Members

As long as nobody finds Lady Celia, there is only one surviving family member. It's Lady Teresa Blackthorn, Victor's wife. She was the youngest sibling of Queen Arabella and Duke Johnathan.

If Celia doesn't appear again, and as long as Queen Cordelia doesn't have a child, she would become the next queen, if anything happens to Cordelia.