House Ebethar

House Ebethar is one of the older noble houses of Keledon with roots far back in history, in the Clan days before King Sothar united the kingdom under his rule. Black hair and dark eyes are common within this line, and the raven is the symbol of its people.
In the past the Ebethar were a warrior clan, and strongly associated with battle. Over time a raven-pecked corpse became a Clan symbol of death in battle, for the dead on the battlefield often bore the marks of feeding ravens and crows. For this reason, centuries later, it became tradition to lay out the dead of House Ebethar on a stone table, allowing the ravens to feast upon the flesh of the deceased. This grisly ceremony is meant to show the spirits of the Otherworld that the deceased was brave in life and strong, and worthy of being received. This tradition is considered strange and disturbing by many other houses, but it is not uncommon for the people of Abred to follow this example.
The seat of Ebethar is in Abred, a small, fortified town in the Reach of Abethred, also called the Dalelands, roughly north of the Haft.
==History==
===Early History===
House Ebethar began long, long ago in the days before King Sothar unified the clans of Keledon and forged from them one great kingdom. In those days Abathan of Abred was the leader of the Kes-Ruan, Raven-Sons, a clan of warriors hailing from the wooded hills of Abredar Reach.
In 934 AS Sothar challenged Halm the Six-Fisted for dominion over what is now southern Keledon. Their armies met in the Battle of Abred, near the town of that name. Abathan led his forces forth in support of Sothar, having little love and less trust for Halm. Sothar, however, was defeated and fled south, aided by the Druids. Halm raged against his foe's supporters, and burned and slashed his way across Abredar. He called for death to all members of the Kes-Ruan, and many of the clan's men and women were captured and slaughtered.
Abathan was able to escape this vendetta, however, with his son Narlin. Together they fled to shelter in the Ravenswood, and there slowly gathered men and supplies to use against Halm.
By 939 AS Sothar had returned in secret to his own people, the Huailo clan, and begun to train them and create a disciplined fighting force. At this time Abathan made contact with the future king, and again pledged his support. Two years later Halm was dead and Sothar king of the southern lands of Keledon. By 946 AS most of the land was united, in peace, under Sothar's rule.
As the king spread his rule and influence over the land, many of the former leading families of the clans became the nobility of the new feudal society. Abathan's house came to be called Ebethar, the 'people of Abathan' and therefore represent one of the original noble houses of the realm.
King Sothar created Abathan Earl of Abred in 947 AS, giving him the lands of Abethred to rule in the king's name. Upon his death the Earldom passed to Narlin.
In 1139 AS, Alfor I, fifth king of Keledon, died without an apparent heir and the kingdom plunged into rebellion. Kamdir, seventh Earl of Abred, was instrumental in bringing the dead king's cousin to the throne, as Aelfeth II, in 1143 AS. As a reward for his services, the new king raised Kamdir's rank to First Earl and gave him a place on his Council.
By this time the Ravens (as the Ebethar were often called) had close ties with the Druids of the Ravenswood and nearby Reaches. Their reputation as warriors was enhanced by tactical and strategic prowess, and during the reign of Seithr II, in 1521 AS, Geoff Ebethar was appointed Lord Warden of the Realm.
===More Recently....===
During the reign of King Gendar IV tension arose between House Ebethar and the King. In 1699 AS the king called upon the Archdruid of the land to attend him at court. Refusing to answer such a command, the Archdruid declined and remained in his home in the Whitestag. House Ebethar, close with the Druids since days long past, supported the traditional autonomy of the Archdruid. The resulting tension lasted a decade, and ultimately came to threaten the kingship of Gendar IV. In the end, the King and the Archdruid met behind closed doors, under the roof of Leofric Ebethar. With the restoration of the royal ties to the Druids, and the stabilizing of his throne, Gendar IV raised Leofric's rank to Prince.
Since 1857 AS, the head of House Ebethar, and Prince of Abethred, has been Edrick Ebethar.
==House Standard==
The red background of Ebethar's sigil represents both the blood shed in battle and that which unites members of the family. The white cross represents the House's ties to the Druids, and the raven device symbolizes both the roots and the appearance of the House members. The raven alone is also a symbol of the House, and can be found in the form of pins, embroidery, and so forth.
Category:Keledon
Category:Noble Houses of Keledon