House Manford

The most noble House of Manford is a relatively young institution, but one that has a storied history. The Great Riverford is a vast and valuable fortification based on the edge of Lake Tranquil where is forks out into 3 seperate rivers. These rivers are used to transport goods all over the mainland, making the central castle an invaluably bountiful trading post. It has been held by many families since its most recent reconstruction at the end of the First Demon Wars, with the Manfords being a merchant family that were granted the Riverford and its surrounding lands in the early 800s by the Everglow Senate. The Manfords were a large and fertile family and they held their position capably, until they ran afoul of Aron Blackthorne, the Red Griffin. House Blackthorne subjugated the Manfords and took charge of the Riverford for themselves, working to exterminate the entire family in the main line ever since. By 1014AE, after years of underhanded schemes and tactics, there is only one living member of House Manford; the Lady Briona. Her husband is Sir Roderic Blackthorne and all of her children, Eustace, Bedivere, Penelope and Geraint, have the Blackthorne name. When Briona dies, the Riverford will become a Blackthorne hold in earnest when her sons inherit it. House Manford is Lord-Paramount of the Midlands and has several lordly vassals, including House Wyatt, House Mannister and House Highcliffe.
In the Demon's Moon of 1014AE, the family faced the Massacre at the Riverford. Their castle was destroyed, Roderic slain, and all their smallfolk displaced to Everglow City. By 1015AE, the widowed Briona remains there with her two youngest children. Her eldest son Eustace serves as a priest to the Aradian Temple, and her second son (and heir apparent) Bedivere has voyaged to the untamed isle where he remains missing.
Category:Noble Houses