House Valkyrie

House Valkyrie is an Ischanor aristocratic house descended from the days of Rathnir; it is a coalition of large and lesser houses working toward a common objective. To boost the Valkyrie's reputation and restore the ancient house to its previous glory. Jerun the Second, the current Head of House Valkyrie, is a methodical and careful man who seeks to extend the House while also settling his private affairs.
It should be noted that much of House Valkyrie's history has been lost to time, as records pertaining to events before "The Purge" were destroyed. However, the records that have survived can paint a grim picture of our history, leading up to the current establishment of House Valkyrie.
== Modern House Valkyrie ==
House Valkyrie was formed to unify the nobility of the Valkyrie race and to prevent the conflicts that had previously fractured them. Before its establishment, Valkyrie houses operated independently, often leading to infighting and power struggles.
The idea of House Valkyrie was first proposed by Theo Sigrun VI, a chronicler and family priest, who envisioned a unified nobility to preserve the Valkyrie's legacy. Marcus Lena von Sigrun, a survivor of the first purges, championed the idea and worked to make it a reality. Marcus collaborated heavily with House Bjornson, and together they laid the foundation for House Valkyrie. The inclusion of House Madison solidified this unity.
After Marcus’s death, efforts were made to further centralize the organization. This led 
* Small Council is composed of trusted advisors and officials responsible for managing the day-to-day administrative affairs of the Valkyrie family and its territories.
* Members of the Small Council are selected based on loyalty and competence, ensuring the efficient governance of the house.
to the creation of the role of Crown Prince and the formalization of the current structure. The goal was to ensure that no single house could dominate or divide the Valkyrie nobility again, fostering lasting peace and cooperation.
== Organization ==
House Valkyrie is the overarching political and cultural entity that unites the majority of the noble Valkyrie. Known for their pride, wealth, and divine heritage, the structure of House Valkyrie reflects their hierarchical and aristocratic society.
==== Crown Prince ====
* The Crown Prince serves as the patriarch of New Volkore, considered the cultural head and king of all Valkyrie.
* This role is central to maintaining the unity, traditions, and legacy of the Valkyrie people.
==== Hand of the Patriarch ====
* The Hand of the Patriarch acts as the right hand of the Crown Prince.
* This individual serves as the voice and representative of the Crown Prince, holding significant administrative and political authority.
==== The Small Council ====
* The Small Council is composed of trusted advisors and officials responsible for managing the day-to-day administrative affairs of the Valkyrie family and its territories.
* Members of the Small Council are selected based on loyalty and competence, ensuring the efficient governance of the house.
==== Major Houses ====
House Valkyrie is anchored by two prominent noble families:
# House Sigrun: Renowned for their storied history and contributions to Valkyrie culture and leadership.
# House Bjornson: A house of equal prestige, known for their strength and strategic prowess.
These two major houses play a pivotal role in shaping the political and cultural identity of the Valkyrie.
==== Lesser Houses ====
In addition to the major houses, House Valkyrie is supported by three lesser noble families:
# House Madison
# House Gredises
# House Fernthorns
These houses, while not as influential as the major ones, contribute to the stability and continuity of House Valkyrie through their loyalty and service.
== History ==
Though it's true that House Valkyrie originated from Rathnir, the land House Valkyrie once encompasses has been lost to the ages. According to records, the land was described as beautiful tropical landscape, where the golden sand of a secluded beach shines from the warm radiance of the sun. The rhythmic sound of waves lapping against the shore is soothing, yet almost hypothetic and ranges of lush verdant hills rise covered in dense vegetation. 
The ancient Valkyries were a nomadic people that often moved from place to place, never settling down in one area and often keeping to themselves. These resilient communities lived in harmony with the land they called home, yet despite seemingly peaceful tendencies, they were highly territorial and warlike. Often venturing out from their home and fighting as mercenaries for whatever their lord will pay them: gold, jewelry, food, or slaves. It didn't matter as long as there was blood to be spilled and debts to be settled.
As the Valkyries' adventures progressed, they gained a notorious reputation as the deadliest fighters, but they also aroused the ire of those who wanted to see them defeated, particularly the dwarfs. The earliest contact with the dwarfs is believed to have occurred around the Bronze Age, when inhabitants began to move into what is now known as Volkore. Dwarven interaction was strained at best, with regular raids by both sides and the most heinous atrocities perpetrated as daily existence devolved into a never-ending battle for survival. The grudge would reach a climax, upon the death of a son of a Valkyrie Noble.
It's said that the nobleman raged upon the death of his son and demanded vengeance. The Nobleman would approach the greatest amongst the Valkyries, "Eldrin," and plead his case. Moved by his words and wanting to settle the Dwarven issue once and for all, Eldrin would take his armies and march to war. These events would be "The Stonefoot War." The war raged for twelve long years as neither side gained a decisive advantage, yet in the final year of the war, Eldrin devised a cunning plan to end the final blow once and for all. The Valkyries would construct a giant statue for their king as a sign of "peace" and would seemingly quit the war by returning home.
The Dwarven King accepted the offer and would bring the statue into their mountainhold and celebrate with a feast, knowing that the war had been won. If only they knew. As night fell and the land grew dark, Valkyrie warriors emerged from the statue, slaying the guards and opening the gates. The city was sacked, its people slain, defenders mutilated, and all that was left standing was the King.
Eldrin approached him and would ask, "What a beautiful city this is—a wonderous marvel yet so very dull. Fitting for your kind to live under the dirt as we fly above the heavens." The King looked at Eldrin, submitting himself to the dirt like a lowborn peasant. "Please, I beg you spare my life. If you have any honor, you will spare those that don't have the will to fight." Eldrin would recoil in disgust; the King was nothing but an ant to him, a pest that needed to be exterminated and forgotten. The response Eldrin gave next would cause the King to shiver to his core. "You have no honor, no soul! I know what you have done, what your kind has done, and they shall not be forgiven. This hold will be razed and buried, forgotten like the rest of your misbegotten kind! Goodbye, my King, may you find no peace and die with disgrace."
== Legacy ==
House Valkyrie symbolizes the unity and resilience of the Valkyrie race. It stands as both a political and cultural institution, ensuring the survival of their traditions and the prosperity of their people. The Crown Prince, as the cultural head, leads efforts to recover lost knowledge and rebuild the legacy of the Valkyrie race, while the collective nobility works to maintain their status and influence in the world.
Category:Families
Category:Ischanor
Category:Abexilas