House Ross

House Ross of Sunderly is one of the Great Houses of Aqoris, one of its richest and most powerful families and one of the oldest. They ruled as Kings of the Crop hundreds of years before Barden's Foundation.
The Rosses rule over the Southlands from the vast fortified city of Sunderly, which has stood for over a millenia as they were once the third largest Kingdom in the Southlands. The city sits atop a one of the largest goldmines in the Southlands. They are the Lords of Sunderly and the Wardens of the South, a title bestowed on them following the Foundation War. House Ross' sigil is a golden stag on a crimson field. Their words are "Risen and Leaping". 
== History==
===Background===
House Ross is one of the Great Houses of Aqoris. Their lands are in the south of the continent. Their seat is the city of Sunderly, overlooking the mouth of The Crop into the Blue Sea. Sunderly is the second largest city in Aqoris, just narrowly behind Newcastle itself. Sunderly sits atop a goldmine which is one of the most productive in Aqoris as well as being in one of the most fertile regions on the continent. They are the wealthiest family in the realm. 
House Ross was the last house to surrender to the Boyces during Barden's Foundation and many assumed, including the Lord of Arkridge, that the control of the new Southlands would be granted to House Durham as they had been the first to pledge for House Boyce. Instead, the title went to House Ross as they were now the strongest house and the wealthiest house in the realm just after House Boyce. King Barden wished to get the Rosses on side and keep them loyal so instead granted Wardenship of the South to House Ross, slighting and insulting House Durham in the process though this was more aimed toward House Ross than Boyce.
House Ross remained loyal to King Dannis I Boyce during the War of the Bears; as the head of the family, Lord Rodrick Ross, served as the Adviser to The King and was a key supporter of King Dannis. During the war, they frequently fought against forces of House Durham, who had sided with the rebels under Prince Kaegan. A majority of the Southlands, except House Perle and House Durham and their vassals, stayed Royalist due to the strength and fear of House Ross. House Ross surrendered at the Assault on Sunderly, ending the War of the Bears, and were pardoned by King Kaegan III Boyce and allowed to remain as the Wardens of the South, despite House Durham having fought on the rebel side against House Ross. House Ross has never married into the royal House Boyce, although there have been hundreds of proposals and attempts by Lords of House Ross.
Ruban Ross is the current head of the family. His father, Rupert Ross, presided over a period of decline for House Ross which saw resources and wealth being wasted and several Houses began to ignore House Ross' command. As Lord Chancellor, he lent money to the crown to fund King Harlow's lavish parties and wars. After Rupert's death in Harlow's Northern War, Ruban took control over the Southlands and began to crush the rebellious Lords and re-enforced the fearsome reputation of the House. House Durham and House Ross still engage in skirmishes which cause devastation to the Southlands and despite having the power to properly crush House Durham, Ruban Ross has not done so and allowed the skirmished prompting people to either laugh at him and his house or to begin suspecting that he is planning something. Ruban serves as Lord Chancellor, like his father, and took advantage of the debt the crown is in to his House to use as political leverage. 
Ruban has two children: Julan and Alara by his wife Keira Hayard. Julan Ross is a knight of the realm and a commander of House Ross' Guards and Alara is the Queen of the Kingdom of Aqoris through her marriage to King Warren I Boyce, granting Lord Ruban even greater power and influence at court. 
Category:Great Houses
Category:Royal Houses
Category:House Ross
Category:Houses from the Southlands