Ah yes. the famous Dracothis family. They have been controlling half of the things you buy or wear for quite a while. You know that sword that your friend saved up for? The one you sometimes consider taking while they're asleep? That's probably one of theirs. The theater you stand outside during shows, trying to pick up the music because you can't afford access? Probably one of theirs, as well. That commander you served under in the Crimson Legion? Either they're one of the family or they answer to someone from the family. This is especially true within Amaya, but the tendrils of their business interests are rough to avoid even in Koraxis or Cras. And for cultural impacts? Have you ever heard of a little thing called the Blood Game? Yes, that's them too. Well, one of them. The point is... their reach is long, and their impact is about as big as those dragons they hang around with.
— Tavit Kitelo, "Stay Away From That One! A Quick Guide to Staying Safe in New Territory.


Overview

In the Third Realm everything is governed by status, and status is governed by two things alone. First among all things, power. Second, the personal preferences of the local Dominus Regas... or, even more, the preferences of the Imperator. Accordingly, many families maintain a focus on rising through the societal hierarchy through one or both means through things such as training their abilities or sending their most charismatic children to court in an attempt to curry favor.

Dracothis Coat of Arms

DracothisCoatofArms

The family motto, "The Blood Remains" references the survival of the Dragons, and the remnants of their original bloodline, the Kadru, which still exists within them.

Among those that strive, there is one family that does not. They are content to sit in their current status - to focus on other things and other pursuits: The Dracothis Clade.

Powerful, wealthy and favored, this Herusin Cubae family is said to be second in influence only to Samael Asther. With a vast collection of businesses to feed their coffers and an army of Dragons to shield their power, the Dracothis do not seek to rise because there is nowhere for them to go.

It is this Clade that led the way in forming The Pact with the Dragons - a decision that would change their own fortunes and the world forever.

It is also this clade that gave rise to the famous Puppeteer of the Crimson Court, Astaroth Dracothis.

Aloof, haughty, terrifying... those are terms other natives of Incaendium frequently use in reference to them. Their reputation for opulence and indulgence is legend, as is their mercilessness.

Of course, as with any family, there is more to the Clade than can be casually inferred from the outside.

Background

The Kadru Era

The Dracothis Clade begins history under a different name: Kadru. That was the name they bore when they first came into being in Gemede, during the Forging of Nations era. As an Auctor Clade ever striving to achieve a higher status, the Kadru Clade were common guests in the court of Dominus Regas Tasso Misundi. Though they were making some progress, this all came to an end during a disastrous Unveiling.

Family causes the feeling of obligation even to those you barely know and have little interest in. But why??

I've heard it's the call of blood. I personally have never "heard" such a call - I don't really care what blood says anyway, it's not entitled to an opinion.

However, there are more practical reasons to be cooperative with kin, I think.

There is an old Aedvecti saying about a rising tide lifting all ships. I say that's true, provided no one has screwed a hole in the bottom of the boats.

Well, I haven't had any reason to do that as of yet, so I may as well ride the waves.

— An excerpt from the journal of Astaroth Dracothis

The Fall from Grace

On that occasion, Misundi was to introduce the court to his new consort, but at the important moment, the announced mispronounced her name, "Vinsun," as binsun. The majority of those present were able to ignore it, maintaining their stoic face and not acknowledging the error.... but there were six families from which at least one member failed to do so. They chuckled, or choked, or in some other way acknowledged the mistake. In a rage, Misundi sent the entirety of those six families, as well as the announcer's entire family, into exile.

Of the seven, four of the families were Cubae demons. These four decided to remain together for the time being, the families traveled far from the capital and repaired an abandoned village near the Golden Cage. This was convenient placement: Gemede's shops had begun to overcharge them for every good they attempted to buy, but living near to the border allowed them to travel into Gaean for supplies when necessary.

Minvi was, at the time, a simple Sodali of the Kadru Clade. However, over the course of the rebuilding, as they puzzled out how to best survive, her natural leadership skills began to show, as did her ability to organize and plan. Thus she drifted into becoming their leader. She was not the heir to Kadru, but in exile what did that matter?

The Families remained in exile, living in relative peace, for over 90 years. This would come to and end when they came into contact with the Dragons.

Minvi & Foti

Bonded by blood and battle, the trust between the Seven Cubae families and the dragons grew strong very qucikly. However, there was a special bond between Foti and Minvi. They remained close until her death.

Birth of the Herusin Cubae (16,193Y)

Four dragons - Langrim, Heslara, Slyr and Foti, had come through the Golden Cage from Gaean, fleeing organized hunters. The badly-injured Langrim had taken to the sky to search out a path to safety, and Minvi followed suit to assess whether he was dangerous. Determining that he wasn't, she brought he dragons back to Neite, where they rested and began to recover. During their recovery time, Minvi became close to Foti, their warrior-scholar. They grew to trust one another, and then the dragons and Cubae began to trust one another as well.

And so, when the hunters found their way to Neite, the Families chose to side with the dragons. Though most of the Cubae were not great warriors, they were still Sura... and nearly every Sura with a name goes through intense combat and abilities training. The mortal hunters, who had trained to fight large beasts, were unable to find tactics that were effective against the Cubae before they were wiped out.

In the following days, the dragons and Cubae reached an agreement to share blood. Through a draconic ritual, they shared their blood and mixed their abilities, granting the Cubae some of the substantial power of the Dragons, and granting Dragons the Cubae ability to alter emotion through aura. As part of the pact, the Cubae swore to guard the dragons as they isolated themselves and attempted to restore their population after 1,500 years of the Age of Hunting. Included in the bond was a certain mutuality to the guardianship: as the Cubae gatekept for the Dragons, so would the Dragons aid the Cubae if a time came when they were in need as the Dragons had been.

As a final part of the agreement, the Seven Cubae families left behind their original second names and, together with the Dragons, took new names that reflected their bonding. These Seven families, soon known as the Herusin - a term that literally means Dragonkin.


 

The Grief that Bleeds Rage (16,195Y)

Once the pact was sealed the four Dragons, along with the better warriors of the Herusin, returned to Gaean intending to find and offer the Pact to the remaining Dragons. En route, they would strike the camps of Dragon Hunter organizations - including the very one that had driven the Dragons into Incaendium to begin with.

The Face of the Herusin

Though there were four Cubae families that originally became the foundation of the hybrid Herusin subspecies of Cubae, the Dracothis family is by far the best known.

In part this is the choice of the others as they have tended to stay out of the spotlight.

However, it is also the result of Minvi's status as their leader and all of the fallout that occured as a result of her decisions regarding Fon.

Of course, any hope that they would fade into obscurity, or even privacy, was dashed the day Astaroth took the title of Dominus.

After destroying the largest of the Shield of Man's stations, they uncovered the desecrated corpses of dragons who had been killed and then "stripped for parts." In grief and despair, they used what pieces of their fallen kin they could find and Herusin and Dragon together created the ultimate weapon of revenge: a spear that they named "Grief Bleeds Rage" in their own tongue, and the Devourer Spear in Common.

Langrim, Slyr and Heslara then went forward and used the spear to destroy every Hunter's station and every Hunter they came across, ending the Age of Hunting with their own hands. They then found the few surviving Dragons and led them back to Incaendium. Weakened and in mourning, most chose to enter the Pact as well - further strengthening the Herusin, and proving mutual protection for both Cubae and Dragon.

Its role fulfilled, Langrim gifted the Devourer Spear to Minvi, the keeper of the Pact. From this point forward, the Spear would serve as the Dracothis family's ancestral weapon.


 

Parting Ways and the Rise of the Dracothis Clade (16,200Y)

Now powerful enough to demand an end to exile, the Seven families left Neite and went forward to seek safety for the Dragons that had chosen them as guardians. Minvi first ventured into caverns in mountain ranges, but the endless darkness did not suit the Dragons, and the narrow corridors forced them to remain in Humanoid form far too often.

Minvi Dracothis, nee Kadru

First Dracothis; Keeper of the Pact

Leader of Neite, and then Dominus Regas of Fon. Minvi was a practical minded woman with little airs or pretension.

Born to a medium-tier family - and not as the heir - she lacked the entitlement and arrogance of many from Regas houses.

Best Known For...

Being the progenitor of the Dracothis line and the savior of the Dragons.

Current Status

Deceased.
 

That being the case, she set her sights on another target: the sky Island of Fon, which would one day be called Malduior. Though it was an independent Domain under the power of its own Dominus Regas, Boran Farkun, it had a small population - around the size of a village. Acting in accordance with the agreement, Minvi led the Dracothis family into Fon and, when peaceful negotiations failed, a battle broke out.

Armed with the Devourer Spear, Minvi proved too difficult to defeat and so the Farkun family fell from the seat of power and the Dracothis family took the throne of Fon.

Her primary project during her reign was the construction of Heru-Kizet, a difficult task that required the cooperation of many Earth-aligned Aetherweavers.

Minvi would remain in power until 16,632Y when Tasso Misundi led an invasion of Fon with a troupe of flight-capable demons. The force was defeated... but Minvi had given the Devourer Spear to her son Damar to protect himself during the fighting, and so Minvi herself was killed.

Damar made use of the spear to avenge his mother, and slew Misundi himself. This should have made him Dominus Regas of Gemede, but he refused the acquisition, saying the land itself was putrid, to him.

Through all of Minvi's life, her closest Dragon companion, Foti, remained her confidante and advisor - a role he would continue in perpetuity, supporting all of those who descended from her blood.


 

Damar's Reign: The Building of an Institution (16,632Y - 18,974Y)

Damar was not, by any means, a perfect ruler. Having been raised in luxury he had a spoiled side to him which mostly manifested in the form of aloof entitlement. He also famously disliked ruling, claiming it caused him headaches and poor sleep. Even so he proved to be an able leader.

Damar Dracothis

Father of Industry

Minvi's spoiled son. He began in vengeance, graduated to selfishness and callousness, matured into wisdom and then retired to escape the burden of the throne in favor of the burden of the Clade's business enterprise.

Best Known For...

Founding the businesses that spawned the family's vast wealth. Continuing to manage their businesses for the past 13,000 years.

Current Status

Active; serving as the family's business planner and manager.
 

In addition to continuing Minvi's project of perfecting the Dragon habitat they had created, he also turned his gaze to building wealth. Having discovered a particularly hard and resilient metal on Fon, he established an export business.

Though he never enjoyed holding power, he maintained his role for seemingly endless centuries as he did not want to disappoint the specter of his mother who had fought so hard to bring them to this point, and who had left him with so much.

Over time, Damar's personality softened, the sharp edges of his selfishness worn down to smooth corners.

In 18,974Y he finally reached his limit, issuing an apology to his mother and stepping down from the throne. Having found that he much preferred running their businesses, Damar became the architect of the Dracothis Clade's business empire and the father of their near limitless wealth.

He is still managing their businesses and finance to this day.


 

Noansa's Rule (18,974Y - 21,229Y)

Noansa "shouldn't" have been chosen as the next Dominus Regas. While she had the charisma, the personality and the interest... her sister Sarane was significantly more powerful. Despite that, Damar chose wisdom over strength and so Noansa rose to the throne when he stepped down.

Noansa Dracothis

The Smiling Diplomat

The elder daughter of Damar. Energetic and extroverted. She brought the Dracothis family back into the world, even as she expanded the project to form the perfect habitat for the dragons.

Best Known For...

Reestablishing diplomatic ties between the Dracothis and the rest of Incaendium.

Current Status

Deceased.


 

She was an excellent choice. Noansa was as assertive as Minvi had been - some called her the second coming of the founder. Alongside the residents, Noansa defined new laws, and new culture. She began to bring the quite isolated people of Fon into the culture of Incaendium, establishing training institutions and education options. At the same time, she recognized that they were "softer" than the Sura of the main land, and she did not demand that they change.

Noansa was the first of the Dracothis line to make a habit of returning to the ground. While there, she would seek out new ideas or new inventions that would be useful to her people... or to her dragons.

And, because the dragon population had increased slightly, she reopened the project of building Heru-Kizet, using the knowledge and inventions she had brought back from the mainland to make the Dragons' caverns even more comfortable for them.

Significantly, Noansa's frequent trips to the main land of Incaendium allowed her to network with other leaders, spreading their name and growing their reputation. This laid the seeds for their extraordinary influence later... but Noansa would not live to see her work come to full fruition.

Ultimately she was killed in her sleep by her brother, Einard, who believed himself to be her chosen successor.

He was incorrect.

He was also bitten in half by Foti, who found him standing over her bloody bed.


 

Sarane's Reign: Isolation and Restraint (21,229Y - 23,598Y)

Sarane was a very different ruler than those who came before. Where Minvi was enthusiastic and assertive, Damar was inaccessible but focused,and Noansa was spirited and inventive... Sarane was quiet. In her early days as Dominus Regas of Fon, she was also unsure of herself, relying heavily on her surviving siblings for guidance.

Sarane Dracothis

The Silent Storm

The first of the unreasonably powerful Dracothis family; an anomaly whose existence continues to be a mystery. Beginning timid and uncertain, she grew in confidence. Though never an outward facing monarch like Noansa, Sarane expanded her sister's vision and continued diplomacy with the main land, while shoring up Fon's infrastructure to ensure its survival.

Best Known For...

Future proofing Fon in ways that still linger in Malduior today.

Current Status

Deceased.

An introvert, she rarely appeared in public or left Heru-Onta. She accepted requests by petition and answered them in writing when she could. She was, in short, timid. At first.

One might ask why she was chosen a Legat given her temperament... but the answer is obvious for those familiar with Incaendium's culture. Whatever else they are, the Demons are fixated on power and Sarane was devastatingly strong - a prodigy that excelled beyond her siblings, beyond her father, even beyond her grandmother. Even so, rather than act in war or dominate others, she chose to remain mostly isolated. Her focus was on maintaining stability and security.

To that end, she invested in Fon's infrastructure, increasing its resistance against weather and fire.

During Sarane's reign, her need for infrastructure materials resulted in more frequent communication with the other Domains. This built upon her sister's dream, expanding their influence.

As time went on and her confidence grew, the combination of her quiet and her strength earned her the epithet "ka renel no ponsuv" - The Silent Storm.

Ultimately, she met her end when Gemede joined forces with Dispat and attempted to conquer Fon again. With the aid of the dragons, who emerged en masse for the first time since their arrival, the invasion was thoroughly defeated... but not in time to save Sarane. Though she would have easily overpowered either Dominus Regas alone, she was unable to defend herself from the two of them working in tandem and fell in 21,229Y.

Sarane's death would begin the most tumultuous time in Fon's history.


 

Vanos's Rule (23,598 - 27,246)

After Sarane was killed, Vanos inherited a crisis, and so he had to hit the ground running so to speak. The Domain itself was in chaos, with local fatalities as well as damage to homes and public buildings. Though the invaders had been repelled, demands for retaliation rose among the residents and inside the Dracothis family itself. Vanos began to arrange for raids on Gemede and Dispat in retaliation.

Vanos Dracothis

The Plunderer King

Sarane's son, left with the crisis caused by the act of war that resulted in her death. He spent most of his early reign enacting vengeance on her killers through raids, driving their primary adversary to the brink of collapse before being reined in by the new Imperator, Bellos Nykythan.

Best Known For...

A well-deserved (by Incaendian Standards) vengeful rush followed by forced annexation by the annoyed new Imperator.

Current Status

Deceased.

The lower Domains, having witnessed the rise of the Dragons and the unique strength of the Herusin, were unable or unwilling to retaliate, and so the raids simply... continued. As the centuries rolled by, the two Domains began to conflict with one another, as the ruling family of Dispat blamed the ruling family of Gemede for dragging them into this to begin with. Eventually, open war broke out between the two, and Vanos took full advantage of that by sacking their cities and stealing many of their Domain treasures.

He had no actual desire for them in themselves - it was purely an act of retribution.

In 26,657Y, a new Imperator rose to power: Bellos Nykythan. He quickly determined that he didn't care to bother with Domains squabbling over millennia old grudges while he was still getting situated in his new role. By his order, the war between Dispat and Gemede stopped...

But Vanos did not cease his attacks.

In 26,704Y, Nykythan became frustrated and demanded that someone "handle" it.

Ultimately, it was handled when Imael Asther of Amaya volunteered to have Amaya take responsibility for overseeing Fon. Or rather, the sky island formerly known as Fon, because at this time, the Island was renamed to Malduior as part of the annexation.

Vanos was livid. In 27,246Y he decided to try and wrest independence back from Amaya by challenging Imael for control of Amaya and Malduior.

It is said that the stars themselves stared in witness of the battle. Ultimately, however, Imael rose victorious and Vanos was sent back to the Void.


 

Oniam's Rule (27246 - 29704Y)

With the death of his father, Oniam Dracothis came to power. Though Malduior remained culturally at odds with Amaya, having been raised under the control of Amaya, Oniam did not resent it half as deeply as Vanos had. Furthermore, despite his strength, Oniam was not terribly fond of battle, and had no interest in fighting Imael Asther for control.

Oniam Dracothis

The Bladeless Hand

A sophisticated, ambitious and somewhat short-sighted man who sought to elevate the family beyond even its extraordinary standing. Perhaps he aimed to regain something of the status lost with the annexation. Known for disliking combat, though he was a capable Void-Dancer and combatant when he needed to be.

Best Known For...

Being overshadowed by his son. It isn't that Oniam was unmemorable, it's only that his son is Astaroth Dracothis.

Current Status

Deceased.
 

Now, being physically isolated, Malduior was rarely involved in conflicts by this time. Gemede was no longer the force it had been after the repeated raids under Vanos's rule, and Dispat was no longer interested in picking fights with Malduior in general, much less with it having become entangled with Amaya. Being freed from their generational conflict at last, Oniam focused on building the name and influence of Malduior in general and the Dracothis family specifically.

To that end, he encouraged ciitizens of Malduior to branch out, offering incentives for those who wanted to take on work outside of Malduior itself. This way he increased their cultural weight, with his people's perspective becoming an increasing amount of the discourse.

He also began encouraging members of the Dracothis branch families to join Amayan institutions: the Crimson Legion foremost among them.

As time passed, Malduior became increasingly influential, regaining the ground Vanos had lost and more.

But Incaendium is Incaendium, and so there was one thing he did that outstripped all of his societal and institutional efforts entirely.

In 27358Y, Imael Asther chose to join the Three-Cycle War. This conflict had already been raging for some time as Abrazus Zozket, a war hero and former ally of the Imperator, sought to overthrow Nykythan. Oniam did not know why Imael had taken such a chance by choosing to support the challenger... but he saw an opportunity both for a measure of satisfaction and so he sent some of his best warriors to the field to stand beside Amaya. In time, despite his dislike for battle, Oniam travelled there personally.

This was the first time that Incaendium as a whole had been exposed to the power of the Herusin line, and they were suitably impressed. This solidified the family's reputation and grasp on Amayan culture.

Even more significantly than that, Oniam also met Kelia Iz'zilith, a member of the branch family of the Clade of Iz'zilith. The two were drawn together and, during the Second Peace, she became Oniam's consort.

Later, Imael sent his twin sons, Balvar and Gorgo Asther, to negotiate a more genuine bonding between Amaya and Malduior after centuries of half-friendship and half-resentment. Balvar made the argument that Amaya had accepted Nykythan's demand that Malduior -- then Fon -- be put under supervision simply because Imael had known the other options would strip the sky island down to the bones rather than offering true "friendship." Oniam, though unconvinced of the logic, was nonetheless content to put aside their differences.

Ultimately, Oniam and Imael worked together well, and Imael occasionally took his council, though they were never truly close in a personal sense.

And then Imael was gone, "disappeared" during a trip with his sons.

At first this seemed fine. Gorgo was an able leader and a respected warrior, and his rule began smoothly enough. But, over time, this would change as Gorgo's personality began to warp. Eventually, he grew into the monster known as the Red King... so named for the blood he left spilled in his wake.

Even so... Oniam's push to climb ever higher never ceased... and so when his and Kelia's son, Astaroth was born only a handful of days after Gorgo's youngest son Samael, he determined that he would send Astaroth to court as soon as he was able... to befriend the young Gedot.

Despite the counsel of his advisor, Oniam did just that. So Astaroth traveled to Ruavine with Foti, and just as planned he and Samael became close friends. In the coming times, the two would adventure together, fight wars together, and battle Great Beasts together.

And then one day, in 28,976Y Samael slew his father during an Unveiling... and Astaroth stood with Samael then, too.

In 29,704Y a conflict between Samael and the Imperator Abrazus Zozket caused Zozket to attack the Amayan capital, Ruavine. Oniam and Kelia, who were in the city visiting Astaroth, were both killed.

Astaroth's Rule (29,704Y - Present)

This gave rise to the current, and most terrible, of the Dracothis "kings," Astaroth. Brilliant, entitled and amoral, Astaroth had seemingly inherited Sarane's strength as filtered through Kelia's Archdemon blood. As the Dominus Regas Samael's closest friend, Astaroth was given control of the Crimson Legion. Soon the Endless War began in response to Zozket's attack on the capital; the two fought for thousands of years, alongside their friends Mastema Amarandos and Grigorius Bieloskytes - a battle that eventually resolved with Samael becoming Imperator himself.

Astaroth Dracothis

Puppetmaster, Dragon, Knife

Oniam's son, ward of the ancient dragon Foti, best friend of the Imperator. Unapologetically cruel, gleefully manipulative and shockingly competent. A tactical genius who commands Incaendium's greatest army. He also has the strongest bond with the Dragons since Minvi.

Despite his callousness and sadism to the outside world, Astaroth is nonetheless an excellent leader to his people, and guardian to the Dragons.

Best Known For...

Breaking the power scale established by Sarane. Helping to conquer over a third of Incaendium, redefining the culture of the Realm to suit his amusement. Dying his wings blue.

Current Status

Active as Dominus Exim, also active as Gi-Nuherunsi of the Crimson Legion.

In general, Astaroth has been the least involved of the family heads, spending most of his time in Ruavine with Samael where he commands the Legion and controls the infamous Blood Game. That said, he maintains contact with Damar, who has reluctantly come to run the day-to-day affairs in his absence. If needed, Astaroth will always return home. Because Malduior is unlikely to be attacked as long as Astaroth lives, when he is called back it is typically to resolve some dispute or look over contracts either for Malduior itself or with regards to the Dracothis family's holdings.

He also returns to visit with the Dragons quite often. Astaroth was lost in the caverns of Heru-Kizet as a child, and it is said that since that day, he has developed a bond with them more powerful than any since Minvi. He is even able to speak their language, which is largely unpronouncable even to most of the Herusin.

It is said that there is a distinct difference between the Astaroth of Malduior and the Astaroth of the world at large. He is quieter there, and more composed. He is... less inclined to play his sadistic games. While nothing can tame the beast he's become, he is nonetheless a capable leader when he wants to be - both in the Crimson Legion and at home. And he does believe in preservation of Malduior for the Dragons if nothing else... and the preservation of his personal power, as well.

Of course, regardless of where he is, he is just as flamboyant and hedonistic as he is anywhere else. At least in private!


 

Status Quo

As of today, the Dracothis Clade remains the second most influential family in Incaendium - coming directly after the Asthers. This is a result of their history with the Asthers, their vast wealth and, of course, Astaroth's personal connection with the Imperator.

The Dragon Throne

Heru-Onta is the primary family home of the Dracothis Clade. Its elaborate exterior and interior seem fit more for a "king" than an aristocrat due to Malduior's history as an independent Domain.

Members of the branch family can be found scattered throughout Amaya. They serve as soldiers and officers in the Crimson Legion, as business owners or as educators, assessors, and contract negotiators. Generally they are drawn to professions that provide either high income or high status - thus they continue to contribute to the dominance of their family line.

It is known that Malduior is the home of several bloodlines of Dragon, but few would dare to try and reach them, or hunt them. Even through some generations of Dracothis leaders that saw their duty to guard as an obligation rather than a passion, that obligation has nonetheless held firm. And, of course, the current Dominus Exim is genuinely devoted to that task.

Malduior itself is home to several Dracothis family members, including Astaroth of course as well as Damar and a few members of branch families who manage day-to-day administrative duties while Astaroth is off sowing chaos and reaping more of the same.

The Family

As a general rule, most demon families do not have many children. This is all the more true in high status families (for more information on why this is, see Demon) and the Dracothis Clade is no exception to this rule.

However, branch families do exist, they're simply shorter branches than one might expect of ancients.

Trivia Moment!

A tradition among Dracothis Clade heads insists that when a new Dominus rises, they will have a portrait commissioned of all of their predecessors. That portrait is then displayed in the throne room.

Dracothis Family Tree

Dracothis Clade

A work in progress - branch family information will be added as needed.

The Deadliest Heirloom

The Devourer Spear is perhaps the most dreaded single weapon in all of Empirica Sin.

Capable of turning a competent wielder into a near-unbeatable force of nature (provided they can survive a few seconds of combat at the very beginning of the fight), it is known to those who may face it as the Inevitable Dark.

Now that it is in the hands of the current Dominus Exim, it is said that the typical advice of war strategists is to flee at first sight of the spear.

The most prominent of the branches are the descendants of Sabi, the daughter of Sarane and sister of Vanos. Though she did not inherit the title of Dominus, she remained active and visible in society, gathering attention for both her intelligence and her impressive void-dancing skill. Her children Asarion and Niseri went on to become highly ranked officers within the Crimson Legion.

The relationship between the branch families and the main line varies over time - certainly Oniam was closer to them than Astaroth is ever likely to be. However, there is a general sense that what benefits one of the blood benefits others as well, and so they remain on good terms regardless. Even the children of the traitor Einard were allowed to remain within the family.

Due to the Pact, a certain number of all branches of the family must remain within a limited radius of Malduior so that they can come to the aid of the dragons if necessary. Some have chosen to remain on Malduior while others have ventured into nearby cities. Much of what drives that decision is one's relationship with the Dominus Exim... which means that more have left the island of late, because many of them find Astaroth unsettling to be around.

Laws of the Dominus Exim

Astaroth has set down very few rules of behavior as he doesn't care what people do most of the time. However, he has passed the edict that all must dress and present in a manner fitting to their blood. If a relative falls on hard times (unlikely but possible), he has made it known that he will pull them from the gutter if only to avoid embarrassing himself.

Dracothis Family Culture

While the Dracothis family is undeniably Sura, they are nonetheless unique in that they must take their duty of guardianship into account before doing reckless things such as challenge people to death duels. The end result is that they will only act on their ambitions if there are sufficient leaves left of the family tree to carry the weight of their absence... and if they truly think they can win. Consequently, they are not as full of spikes and valleys in power or influence as other families might be. It also means that those who wish to challenge a Dracothis will often undersell their abilities in the hopes of luring them in.

This rarely works at this point, since it's happened so often in the past.

The same rules apply to intrafamily challenges, such as attempts to claim the Dominus title. Attempts to wrest power are not considered inherently trecherous - Einard is seen as a traitor because he killed Noansa in her sleep like a coward.

There are, however, relatively few intrafamily conflicts, particularly in recent centuries. There are two primary reasons for this.

The first and ever present reason lies in the Pact. Their duty to the Dragons demands that they maintain their numbers and their strength, and to lessen their numbers voluntarily can only be injurious to their mission.

The second, and relative recent, reason is... the issue of Astaroth. Since the advent of the Endless War, Astaroth's power and influence has grown to the point where there is little realistic hope of overthrowing him... even putting aside the possibility that the Imperator would be displeased if someone were to manage it. That being the case, it has become more important to excel in his eyes than to take his position... because he is the only one who can name a successor.

Internal Justice

Unresolvable disputes must be brought before the Dominus Exim before it can be escalated to the Dominus Regas's attention. This creates some issues, as the current Dominus Exim has a difficult personality.


 

The Dracothis Clade & The World

In Incaendium, a Realm where might and morality are considered much the same thing, there is a great deal of respect for the Dracothis Clade despite their aloof and elitist reputation. Generally, the perspective is that they have earned their place through physical power, a proven war record, and business acumen.

The Dracothis Armor

Each person of Dracothis blood, from the Dominus to the Sodalis, receives a custom created set of armor forged with Gir-to-yik-sure, dragon-themed but otherwise to their tastes.

No one doubts that they deserve to stand, as they do, at the top of the metaphorical hill. Even so, there is admittedly a bit of satisfaction in many of their rivals and acquaintences when something does manage to harm or destabilize them - if they manage to survive a fall, they will be all the more respected... but there is no denying that some may be hoping for them to fail.

That touch of resentment grows as one moves farther down. For those aspirants hoping to move up the societal ladder, the existence of the Dracothis Clade is a frustration. In most cases, when a family is well-regarded and highly placed, they must constantly strive to maintain that position in spite of challenges and, most notably, in spite of Astaroth pulling strings to make their lives difficult.

For obvious reasons, this does not happen much with the Dracothis Clade, leading to the impression that they are untouchable, and their position unassailable - and anyone, regardless of how strong or capable, will always be hard-stopped behind them.

Special Relationships

Their primary relationships are, of course, with the Asther Clade and the dragons that they care for. In addition to that, they maintain semi-regular contact with the six families who originally went into exile with them.

Wealth & Holdings

The family's wealth is primarily managed by Damar Dracothis, the former Dominus turned business tycoon. He makes these decisions in consultation with the Dominus Exim, though how deep those consultations run will vary from family head to family head.

Bluelight Metal Works

The initial fortune was built on the export of Gir-to-yik-sure and expanded to shipping and transportation. Once they had become accustomed to sky-to-ground transportation, they expanded to land-to-land shipping others' goods. Eventually, with the invention of VoidEngines, they expanded into transportation for people as well.

They were also among the first families to become involved in the business of Binding Contract negotiations, bargaining for their wealthy clients to obtain more advantageous terms. Though no known Clade members are still working in direct services, they still own the businesses that have since been staffed with other negotiators.

When new opportunities present themselves, the Dracothis Clade is quick to take advantage of them. In this they have an advantage due to their Dominus Exim's intense relationship with the Imperator, Samael Asther. For example, Astaroth was aware that Samael would be focusing on the promotion of the arts before the announcement was actually made, and so they were able to purchase theaters and galleries at a lower rate, as well as build some of their own establishments. In addition to that, they were able to prepare in advance for the shift from austere to glamorous presentations, and purchased clothes production and jewelry design and production companies as well. Their most popular jewelry pieces, of course, are those made of Gir-to-yik-sure!

Finally, they are also patrons for a number of master weaponsmiths and armorsmiths - certainly a lucrative business in Incaendium of all places.

While their near-exclusive ability to provide the Gir-to-yik-sure is a pillar of their continued wealth, Damar is aware of that reliance on a single source of revenue is not advisable. To avoid making that mistake, he has been diversifying their holdings for as long as he's been making their business decisions - a very long time - and so the family's holdings change from time to time as he purchases and sells land, businesses, even valuable single items, in accordance with his judgement.

The family is expected to contribute a percentage of their income to a central family trust managed by Damar, who sets the percentage at the start of every 5th year. The trust exists to provide funds to any family member when the need for liquid resources outstrips the Aline on hand. One of the blood does not need to ask permission for withdrawals, but they must send a report of what they've taken to Malduior, where Damar records it for his final tallies; the amount remaining in the trust influences the percentage that Damar sets for contributions.

Notably, they have never monetized their access to dragons. They bring their island goods to the main land via magic.