The Light mages

Table of Contents

The Light Houses are divided between:

the most important Houses of the high nobility (Alyssenne, Ylucianie, Kolinesse, Irinalesse, Zériesse, Scranenne),

lesser high nobility Houses (Dinarie, Rianie, Larisse, Faunisse),

Houses of the low nobility (Drissenne, Nolane).

Click on the characters' name to learn more about them.

High nobility

House of Alyssenne

The House of Alyssenne is the one of the 2 Houses that founded the Empire of the Covenant 3 millennia ago. It subsequently founded the Light political faction and led it for most of its existence. The Estate of Alyssenne is a large Estate located in the south of the empire where it and the Lyriennes form a land lock against the Southern kingdoms.
They are known for their line-gift of magical sensitivity and their exceptional crafting skills. The main exports of the Estate are high-quality crafting materials and crafted artefacts.

Lady Annabelle Alyssenne

The House of Alyssenne is now led by its sole survivor Lady Annabelle Alyssenne.
Her dead family members include her grandparents, Lord Matthieu and Lady-Consort Joséphine, and her parents, Lord Justinien and Lady-Consort Léonie (see The Alyssenniens).

House of Ylucianie

The House of Ylucianie is minor Light house traditional Estate is a small piece of land located on the northern coast. They are traditionally traders between the empire and the Northern Islands, especially dealing in exotic spices in exchanged for imperial magical crafts. The House has only gained in prominence through its current lord.

Lord-Consul Xénophène Ylucianie

Lord-Consul Xénophène Ylucianie is among the most powerful mages in the empire. He has used this power to make his words listen to and gain influence locally, then nationally. He's also a keen politician with a lot of ideas and projects to improve the empire and the life of its citizens. This allowed him to become close to the Alyssennes who were leading the Light faction and to cement his place at the top of the hierarchy.
At the Alyssenne's death and the disappearance of their heiress, Annabelle, he naturally filled the void at the top and took their place as leaders of the Light. Now that Annabelle has returned, he has no intent of relinquishing his place for her and of letting her destroy all that he has spent decades accomplishing because of her inexperience and incompetence. Instead, he would prefer to use his position and experience to guide her into helping him and the rest of the Light Estates.

Age: several centuries at least, but does not show it at all thanks to his power; Skin: dark; Eyes: blue; Hair: a short beard and long hair that are dark brown with no trace of grey; Appearance: that of a strong leader, experienced but still open and friendly, majestic in his simplicity, demonstrating competence and modesty; Politics: Light; Line-gift: unknown; Power level: extremely high.

Lady-Consort Ylucianie

Lord Ylucianie's dead consort. They bonded together when he was only the lord of a small Light Estate, and she was murdered before he became leader of the Light faction. They were closed together and Lord Ylucianie was devastated by her death and has had no known relationship since then.

Heiress Ylucianie

Their daughter was also hurt as a teenager during the attack that killed her mother, and Lord Ylucianie has been zealously guarding her since then. She is blind, and her father blames the attack and the Dark mages responsible for this, however she has a few blind relatives a few generations back in her mother side and so the causes may be genetic.

House of Kolinesse

The House of Kolinesse is traditionally one of the most important Light Houses in the empire. Its line-gift is the ability to materialise their art, either through "forcing" feelings upon viewers or through an actually physically manifestation of the art.

Lady Thaïsse Kolinesse

Lady Thaïsse Kolinesse is the current leader of the House. She is one of the leader of the Light faction and a close friend of Lord-Consul Ylucianie. Her political opinions appear to be mostly aligned with Lord Ylucianie, and she believes in doing everything to weakening the power and influence of the Dark faction.
Personally, she is known to be cold and intransigent in politics and hard to please. This makes her a formidable adversary and most people prefer to fold in the face of her opposition, including members of her family.

Age: unknown; Skin: dark; Eyes: dark; Hair: blonde, usually up in a simple knot; Appearance: appears the proper and respectable lady; Politics: Light; Line-gift: art-based magic; Power level: high nobility.

Heir Isidore Kolinesse

Heir Isidore Kolinesse is known to be a shy young man who dislikes social gathering. He is very skilled in his family line-gift and is very obedient to his grandmother's every wish, which is why he was chosen as the heir to their House despite not being the older member or the most skilled and influential one. His own opinions uninfluenced by his grandmother are unknown.

Age: 30s; Skin: dark; Eyes: blue; Hair: long and blonde; Appearance: often wears an open and earnest expression; Politics: Light; Line-gift: art-based magic; Power level: high nobility, medium levels of power.

House of Irinalesse

House Irinalesse rules a small Light Estate on the South-East coast of the empire. However, since they are neighbouring the Alyssennes', this has given them a disproportionate influence in politics.

Lord Nathanaël Irinalesse

Its current lord is Nathanaël Irinalesse. Nathanaël's parents died when he was young and he was sheltered by the House of Alyssenne—by Annabelle's grandparents—until he was old enough to lead his House. This made him grow up in the company of Justinien Alyssenne, Hippolyte Zériesse and Cyril Blissenne, with all three boys viewing him as an over protective and serious elder brother. The death of Justinien has only brought the survivors closer together.
Through the Alyssennes, Nathanaël has become close to Lord Ylucianie, and he now supports him in his political endeavours, convinced that he is accomplishing the Alyssennes' projects. With Annabelle coming back, he also wants to support and guide her just as her grandparents did with him.

Age: 50-70 ; Skin: light; Eyes: piercing grey eyes; Hair: light brown hair often tied at his nape; Appearance: a proper and respectable lord; Politics: Light; Line-gift: unknown; Power level: high nobility.

House of Zériesse

The House of Zériesse rules the biggest Light Estate north of the empire, and second biggest in the entire empire after the Alyssenne. Before the empire was created, the Zériesses seconded the House of Arianie in leading the northern coalition. Despite this, as soon as the Arianies died off, the Zériesse slowly drifted closer to the Alyssennes until they became their closest allies and friends. This ensured their constant grasp on power and influence over the continent since the creation of their House millennia ago.
Just like the Alyssennes, the Zériesses have always been known as progressive who push the boundaries politically and socially, both at the level of the empire and at the level of their own Estate. Their current political system has the Estate ruled almost entirely by an assembly of elected representatives that get to order Lord Zériesse around and to tell him how to use his magic for the good of the Estate. Of course, with the wide disparity of power level between the nobility and commoners, this system only works so long as the nobility accepts to submit, but so far the Zériesses have not so enthusiastically and without public complaints.

Lord Hyppolyte, Lord-Consort Quentin and Heir Jérôme Zériesse and Cyril Blissenne

The House of Zériesse is currently ruled by Lord Hippolyte Zériesse, while the leader of the local elected assembly is Lord-Consort Quentin Zériesse.
Together, they had a son thanks to a fertility ritual, Jérôme Zériesse. The use of this ritual has secured their political alliance inside the Zériesse Estate but has isolated them among the Light faction who dsapproved of all rituals.
The Zériesse are now sheltering Cyril Blissenne. Cyril was the previous Heir to the Dark House of Blissenne, but he who ran away from his family as a teenager to first Shelter with the Alyssennes. After their murder, he joined the Zériesses.
(see The Zériessiens for more details about them)

House Scranenne

The House of Scranenne leads a Light Estate located in the North of the empire.

Lord Scranenne

Its current leader, Lord Rémi Scranenne, is one of the leaders of the Light faction and one of the closest allies of Lord-Consul Ylucianie. He also leads the army of the Light faction. He is known to be a harsh, demanding man with exacting standards.

Age: in his prime; Skin: dark; Eyes: grey; Hair: brown, long; Appearance: ?; Politics: Light; Line-gift: unknown; Power level: high nobility, low upper-end of power range.

Lesser Houses of the high nobility

House Dinarie

The Dinaries are the northern neighbours of the Alyssenne Estate, holding a medium-size Estate near the extreme south of the empire. They conquered that Estate several centuries ago with the benediction of the Alyssennes and have since remained closed allies with them.

Lady Dinarie

They are currently led by Lady Dinarie, a lady that used to be a close ally to Annabelle's parents before their death. However, when Annabelle tried to re-establish contact, Lady Dinarie behaved coldly and was not very enthusiastic with re-establishing trade relationships between their two Estates.

House Rianie

The House of Rianie is a small Light House located on the West coast, west of the Haut Plateau although the region is considered to be part of the north culturally and ethnically. This means that they were part of the northern alliance before the unification of the empire and are now part of the Light faction. Lord Rianie is a short man with a strong frame.

House Larisse

The House of Larisse are neighbours of the Rianies, and so they are part of the Light faction. Their Estate is also small and relatively unimportant. They are currently led by a lord who has tense relationships with Lord Rianie.

House Faunisse

TheHouse of Faunisse is a very minor House located somewhere in the north of the empire. They are currently more aligned with the imperial government than with the Light or Dark factions despite being traditionally Light. They are currently led by a lord.

Low nobility

House Drissenne

The House of Drissenne is a House of the low nobility but not a vassal of any other House. They used to have an Estate in the North of the empire, but they lost it several generations ago and now live in the Estate of Arianie. Despite losing their seat in the senate at the same time they lost their Estate, they have tried to stay involved into the politics of the Light faction.

Heir Clarence Drissenne

Currently, Heir Clarence Drissenne is trying to establish a Light coalition independent from the main faction led by Lord-Consul Xénophène Ylucianie. This has had limited success, and so he has decided to take part in Lady Annabelle Alyssenne's Courtship Rituals as a mean to gain more political influence.
Heir Drissenne is often described as "stuffy in a bad way", overly pompous and with an inflated sense of his own importance. The social position of his family means that he is not used to frequenting the high nobility and to how their gatherings work. Outside of politics, he works as the head of the businesses belonging to his House.

Age: 53; Skin: dark; Eyes: bright blue; Hair: long honey hair; Appearance: very tall but not so intimidating, has a thick skeleton, and often wears a stern expression; Politics: Light, one of the leaders for a Light coalition that his independent from the main Light faction; Line-gift: charming animals; Power level: low nobility.

House Nolane

House Nolane is a ancient House that has become part of the local Alyssenne court after its Estate was absorbed into theirs. Since then, they have traditionally been advisers to the Alyssennes. Their current leader is Scieur Adrien Nolane (see The Alyssenniens for more details about him).