House Drausthal
House Drausthal is one of the most ancient and militarily dominant noble lineages in Drania. Based in The Ironhorn Marches, they are known for their unyielding discipline, martial tradition, and grim honor. Though weathered by recent political fractures—most notably the loss of the Eastern March of Lichtenwald — their reputation as master tacticians and staunch defenders of Dranian sovereignty remains intact.
Origins & Legacy
Founded in the early decades of the Age of Ash, House Drausthal rose to prominence by safeguarding Drania’s northern mountain passes during the chaotic years following the fall of the Warlock Lord. Their founder, Varric Drausthal , was a famed warlord who unified a network of highland clans under a singular banner, offering security in return for oaths of fealty. The Drausthal crest—a silver gauntlet grasping a downward-pointing sword against a field of blood-red—symbolizes martial order and control. Their ancestral seat, Fortress Drausthal, is a cold, windswept keep carved into the cliffs of Mount Kharn, always manned, never conquered.Values & Structure
The family motto, “Steel is Loyalty”, is more than a saying—it’s a creed. Von Drausthal governance is rigidly hierarchical, with a heavy emphasis on discipline, chain-of-command, and ancestral duty. Every family member, from heirs to cousins, are expected to train in arms and serve at the fortress garrisons scattered across the Marches. Knighthood and command are earned, not given by birthright. Even nobles must prove themselves on campaign or in the garrison before they may wear the Drausthal crest in the Elector Chamber. Outsiders often view them as cold or inflexible, but to the von Drausthal, compromise is just another word for weakness.Current Leadership
Lord-General Balthar Drausthal currently heads the house—an aging but iron-willed commander who once held the eastern front against Breanian incursion for over a decade. Known for his gravelly voice, ceremonial breastplate, and immovable posture in council, Balthar’s words carry weight in Dragness… even if he speaks them rarely. Balthar has no legitimate sons, and his heir-apparent is not even his daughter Seressa von Drausthal, but his niece Vael von Drausthal. Dispite Seressa being a renowned tactician in her own right, Vael Some whisper that her vision for the Marches is far more progressive—and dangerous—than her father's.Relations & Rivalries
House Drausthal maintains strained alliances with other Elector Houses, particularly those of mercantile or coastal heritage. The loss of the Eastern March to the von Lichtenwald-led secession remains a bitter wound, and Balthar has never formally acknowledged their Elector status. They are particularly hostile toward House Lichtenwald, whom they see as weak profiteers and traitors, and politically cold toward House Velostra, whose naval focus and isolationist stance irk the landlocked pragmatists of the Ironhorn.
Steel is Loyalty
Type
Political, Family
Demonym
von Drausthal
Ruling Organization
Founders
Parent Organization
Controlled Territories
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
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