House Bisclavret

Traditionally, the de facto head of House Bisclavret is the Baron or Baronez of Kab Frehel, a small Sovereignty on the Northern Coast of The Armorican Peninsula, along the Painted Channel. While the family once held regions outside of its traditional domain, the seat of its internal influence has always been centered in Letha.
  The family has rarely exerted a gender preference for the position of Baron, and both male and female claimants have served as the patriarch/matriarch of the House, as well as the Sovereign of its holdings.
 

Succession

  House Bisclavret, following Lethan tradition, determins succession with Tanistry, a system where an heir is chosen from a pool of eligible successors, rather than Primogeniture. While the Firstson or Firstdaughter of the Baron is typically selected as heir, this is neither uniformly prescribed nor followed. The
  =The selected heir will, upon the death of their predecessor, become the Baron or Baronez of Kab Frehel and sovereign of other holdings controlled by the house at the time of their ascension.
  All heirs to the position of Baron must be tied by blood to the clan, although adopted children may rise to positions of power and influence within the house. Bastard children, provided they are legitimized during the lifetime of their predecessor, are eligible to take over the family.

Traditionally, House Bisclavret has largely aligned itself with supporters of the Fair Folk, developing a neutral or friendly relationship with the local Fae population and neighboring regions. The Bisclavrets generally maintain strong relations with the Kriores and Fees-de-Houles. The House has a reputation chiivalrous, but fierce warriors, well known in Letha, beyond that such a small region would normally merit.    

Current Status

With the apparent death of Melion Bisclavret and his children, the main branch of House Bisclavret was deemed extinguished in 995 SI, its holdings and titles passed on to House Frihep. House Frihep supports the Staunchist cause of Janed "Ar Gammez" Pentevr and her husband "Sant" Charlez Blaez, advocating for a Letha purged of Fair influence.   The position of House Frihep has been complicated by the unexpected return of Kathalia Bisclavret, a legitimized bastard of Melion whose claim may supersede their own. Kathalia’s claim is supported by Janed "Ar Flamme" Monforz, the leader of the Ermine claim to the dugal throne.

House Bisclavret and its cadet branches traditionally center their power on Kab Frehel, but can exert claims of sovereignty over the Lordship of Goelo and the Petty Kingdom of Bedegraine. House Bisclavret has historically controlled the Barony of Clos-Poulet and the Corsair City of Aleth, but it has largely ceded these claims to the independent-minded city, maintaining close social and economic ties. House Bisclavret also holds the titles of Protectors of the Ar Mor Emrodez and the Stewards of Nasado.   The traditional lands of House Bisclavret, the Barony of Kab Frehel, is largely made up of high, pink-granite cliffs overlooking the vibrant green waters of the Painted Channel, windswept moorland filled with fields of yellow gorse, and swampy low-lying wetlands unsuited for agriculture. Instead, most of the region's income comes from its seaside villages, most notably the towns of Erge-Ar-Mor and Havre-Kast, known for oysters, scallops, and trade. Several regional quarries also provide income to the House.   The most notable asset of House Bisclavret is Kastell Roc'h Goueon, the Baronial Seat, a fortress built of a dramatic peninsula overlooking the waters below. Baronial title also confers the ownership of the Emerald Storm, a Blackwood-hulled Windship with dark green sails, one of the fastest of such vessels in the Duchy. The head of House Bisclavret is also traditionally wielder of the heirloom sword Kilstourm.

Legendary Origins

 

Ronan the Wanderer

  The most extensive histories of House Bisclavret trace their origin to Ronan, an Albian or Manchais druid who lived during the reign of Gradlon Mwar, legendary king of Great Kernev in the 1st Century. He left his home, traveling on a magical stone boat¹ along the Painted Channel, arriving in Northern Armorica before traveling southwards as a Louzaouer, founding a Nemeton in the forests outside of Kemper with saplings brought from his homeland.   In what is now Lokorn, in Biskonti Glazig, Ronan came into conflict with the Druidess Kerban, who accused him of the murder of her daughter, committed while in the guise of a wolf². Brought before Gradlon, Ronan escaped, carrying out an investigation to prove his innocence, culminating in the discovery of Kerban’s still living daughter and revealing a larger conspiracy against Gradlon and his Children by members of his inner circle.   Ronan married Perlezenn, Kerban’s daughter and continued to build the Druidic circle at Lokorn, with the blessing of Queen Malgven, serving as an advisor to the Royal Family. After the Fall of Ys, they were instrumental in assisting refugees from Ker-Ys as they fled to Kemper. Ronan and Perlezenn continued to advocate for the Path of the Forest, which had fallen out of favour following Kerban’s conspiracy and the Fall fo Ys. After their deaths, the pair was buried beneath the hull of Ronan’s stone boat, serving as a Dolmen cap, which remains in the Lokorn forest as a holy shrine associated with protecting women during childbirth.  

Official Beginnings

The House of Guyon

  In the records of the Registry of Arms, House Bisclavret can trace its roots to the 4th Century, beginning with the mercenary hero of the Alliance of the Brekilien, Armel Guyon. An early ally of Muldumarec Artegall, Guyon was recruited from the corsairs of Aleth to smuggle the Eladan Princet into Gwened, retaking the city after the coup of Chanao I and Macliau. After a series of adventures, Armel aided in the defense of Naoned with Roland of Gwitreg, but, but was defeated the Sea Dogs, the longship raider of Conomor the Cursed. In 404 SI, at the Battle of Relec, it was Armel who slew the Black Dog of Poher, ending the war.   Following the war, Guyon was knighted, elevated to the nobility by Tewdr Mawr, named as the protector of the Emerald Coast. Sieur Guyon constructed the keep of Roc’h Goueon over the ruins of Nasado. This stronghold would expand as the family grew, becoming the eventual seat of the Barony.   Located on a remote stretch of the Painted Channel between Sant-Brioc to Aleth, House Guyon was largely removed from the chaos of the next few centuries, focusing on battling the increase of pirates and viking raiders from the Fortunate Isles and the Mor Marv, dispatching a force to the Battle of Keremma Dunes. From the Corsair City, House Guyon was also heavily involved in privateering against Gallian and Manchais traders, while also building its own mercantile trade routes in the Painted Channel.  

The Black Phantoms

In the town of Havre-Kast, a ruined castle is haunted by four black phantoms, restrained by a heavy iron chain, led through the thorns by an armless girl on nights of the new moon. These four were abusive lords of Havre-Kast whose cruelty to women and girls was exceptional. Popular tradition equates these phantoms with four notorious barons of Kab Frehel, the last of House Guyon's primary line: Baron Rembert Guyon, Baron Regulus Guyon, Baron Rieul Guyon and Baron Pierrick Guyon  

House Bisclavret

In the 800s, House Guyon was on the forefront battling the Viking invasions of Hastings Fireforged, taking heavy losses in these ongoing engagements. By the Fomorian Interregnum, the main line was functionally extinguished.   In 966, succession of the tattered line fell to Marrok Bisclavret, a Caballos of Rivallon I of Dol. When Dol rebelled against Konan II, Dug of Letha, Marrok followed his liege, joining forces with Manchais warlord Gwilherm the Bastard and Hereweald of Kameled, serving with distinction at the Battles of Menez-Mikael, Dinan and Ponbay Bridge. For his service, Marrock was rewarded with Kab Frehel, as well as the Lordship of Goelo and the County of Bedegraine in Albia, marrying into House Guyon.   In 1040, Baron Lot Bisclavret, a vassal of Konan III "The Fat", supported the failed claim of Steven Blaez against Matilda Bro-Saoz of Logres. The vengeful queen marched on Bedegraine and seized the House lands in Albia.   In 1097, House Bisclavret supported Konstanza I in her war against the Order of Albi and its supporters. Baronez Corentine Bisclavret led the relief of Naoned, among other campaigns.  

Recent History

  In 1164, Melion Bisclavret ascended to the position of Baron, rebuilding the ancestral home and reinforcing the family’s finances. He married Dame Annaig Dieueveult of Clos-Poulet, having two children with her, Firstdaughter Argantel and Secondson Luc Bisclavret. After her death, Melion had a third child with a visiting noblewoman, the bastard Kathalia Bisclavret, who was later legitimized.   A series of tragedies befell the family. Argantel was lost in a storm, her fleet carrying granite across the Painted channel destroyed³, while Secondson Luc Bisclavret was killed while hunting boar⁴. Melion was framed for the murder of Kont Morgan of Dreger and killed. Kathalia was sold to a passing slaver, but escaped to join the Urzh Kroashent Urzh Kroashent, a reprieve that would prove short-lived due to the sudden reversal of fortune for the nightly order. During the Black Crown Affair, she vanished once more.   The Barony was then claimed by Gidas Frihep, “miraculously” producing a series of documents that traced a common lineage with the Bisclavrets, claiming the barony. The reappearance of Kathalia Bisclavret and the legal meddling of her uncle Deniel Bisclavret, a monk in the Abbey of Rhuys has complicated this claim.