House Melys

Category:FamiliesCategory:Abexilas
House Melys is a prestigious and prominent house within the Grand Duchy of Vědanica, it has historical ties to both Vědanica and Zamarinje, though is far more closely linked to the Archduchy of Zamarinje. House Melys is the leading house in the Fiefdom of Měcynšau, which the family both has established and ruled for over 600 years.
== Culture ==
The prestigious house of Melys naturally holds a grand amount of culture, having been over 600 years old, and surviving a grand amount of history within the Eastern regions of Vědanica. House Melys prides itself on its history and culture, displaying a colorful array of events.
=== Symbolism ===
Symbolism is an important part of the Melys' culture, distinctly basing their culture around bees, flowers, hives, honey, etc. This is due to their extensive history with such items, and Vědanica and the surrounding region also having a unique love for floral identities.
==== Sigil ====
The Honeybee is the official emblem of House Melys, dating back to the ancient days of the house when it was first founded. The Honeybee was chosen to represent the family due to the family's wealth being due to honey and the bee's productions. Along with the ancient story of Ser Sekarž being dubbed the "Honey Knight," who is the founder of House Melys.
Another known sigil of House Melys is that of a red keep, which references the family's historic seat of Měcynšau, which is made of red bricks and stones, giving it a unique appearance, and making the castle akin to that of the region's surrounding architecture aswell, primarily from Vědanica.
==== Colors ====
House Melys has taken red and yellow for their colors, of course due to their history and culture with said colors.
The yellow has been chosen out of the family's love for the famous honeybee, and any bee really, along with the commonalities that come with bees, these consist of hives, honey, honeycombs, etc. Though bees are not the only reason for yellow being one of Melys' colors. The family has also taken the color yellow for one of their colors due to the family being on the richer and more prestigious sides when it comes to noble families, thus they have linked this color with gold aswell.
Despite yellow being their more prominent color, House Melys has also taken red as one of their colors, due to being vassals of Vědanica, which takes red for their color aswell. Red is also a color of Melys for their historic seat of Měcynšau, seeing as the castle is also red. Along with these, there is a third reason, which is due to blood. Both the blood of the family and their enemies, having spilt much blood in their ancient days, and having a deep sense of loyalty to each other.
==== Motto ====
The family words or motto of House Melys is dubbed, "Family bound in honor."
These words were established as the new motto of House Melys in 263 AF after so the family had begun to distrust many of its fellow Zamareni neighbors, and reckoning that their only trusted allies were theirselves. They also took this motto to phrase due to their deep sense of honor and loyalty, being an extremely chivalrous and honorable family within Ischanor.
Since these words are considered the "new words" of House Melys, this means that there was likely an earlier motto that the family took to phrase before their infamous words they use today. These words that were before their current motto are unknown, but miscellanious sources have claimed that the ancient family's words might have been "Gold with honey," or perhaps "Eternal honor." These sources are not confirmed though, and there are too many sources that contradict each other to claim one motto as historically accurate.
==== Other Symbols ====
While the Honeybee and Red Keep are noted to be the most common symbols of House Melys, there are other symbols that the family is recognized by. These symbols include, roses, sunflowers, snow-peaked mountains, meed, and grapes. While some of these symbols are more explainable than others, all of these symbols are surely prominant in the Melys House's culture.
=== Traditions ===
==== Language ====
===== Tongue =====
===== Literature =====
===== Naming =====
==== Architecture ====
==== Agriculture ====
=== Government ===
Like all noble houses, House Melys has a government, and is actually quite basic compared to some other noble houses. The noble house consists of a monarchy, where it is headed by one person, and that person makes all of the decisions. However, said monarch still heavily takes into the account the wishes and recommendations of his house, which has been common practice throughout the history of the house.
==== Primogeniture Succession ====
Just like any other house, there is a standard way of determining who inherits the role of "patriarch" or "matriarch." This way is known as Primogeniture Succession, where the eldest child of the then ruler is granted the title, and heads the house. This system has been in place for House Melys for about 500 years, with the oldest days of the house having an Agnatic-cognatic Primogeniture succession, where the eldest son of the head of house succeedes, and only a woman may succeed once all of the sons have died off. This system was removed after House Melys decided both sexes were fully capable of ruling.
==== Ascension ====
Once a Head dies, the most prominant family members gather together in Měcynšau, and then decide how they're going to handle the succession. It is standard for them to choose the eldest child of the Head, though they may choose to allow a different child to ascend as Head of the House should the firstborn prove inable. This inable factor continues until they reach a child that they deem actually fit to ascend. 
There have only been two recorded cases in Melys history where the "council" has skipped over the firstborn in favor of the secondborn. Both of these instances led to minor conflicts in the House of Melys, such as an extremely minor civil war.
== Ancient History ==
Like most other noble houses, House Melys boasts two different branches of history. The first one being the ancient history, usually taking place before a major event, and consisting of the House's founding, and then there is the more modern history, where more accurate and recent accounts of history are told. The modern history usually takes place after said climatic event.
=== Founding ===
There are various sources depicting the Founding of House Melys, most of with contradict each other, but there is one general concensus that the House agrees is accurate. It is known that the house was founded by Ser Sekarž, a well known knight within the Zamareni states at the time. The more unknown part is how exactly he formed House Melys. The general consensus is that Ser Sekarž, at age 31, founded House Melys after being knighted by the then king of the Zamareni, after putting down several rebellions in the Zamareni Kingdom. 
Ser Sekarž was then granted the northermost fiefdom of the Zamareni Kingdom, seeing as the family who had previously owned that fiefdom, had just been massacred by Ser Sekarž when said family rebellled against the Zamareni Kingdom. Ser Sekarž promptly moved into the run down fiefdom with his family and loyal warband, and proceeded to rebuild the Fiefdom, dubbing it "Mjecynlaž" after his obsession with bees. 
The House was founded 573 AF. 
=== Zamarinje Civil War ===
=== First House War ===
This is the first internal war fought in House Melys, caused by skipping the firstborn child for the first time in Melys history.
In 342 AF, Zamarinje was engulfed in many extreme conflicts, such as the Zamarinje Civil war and the period of warring states that followed directly after. In the middle of this, the then Head of Melys fell in battle fighting against the old Zamareni house of Blišajnjek, who held coastal territories in the West. In light of this unfortunate loss for House Melys, the council had to determine the heir. Their immediate response was to think of the firstborn child, as is custom for House Melys, though the child was sickly and thought to only live for another 2 years, and couldn't even properly pick up a sword. Due to this, the council passed the young Vigaš and chose his younger sister instead. Thus, the Lady Anateja rose up as matriarch of House Melys, at the age of 19.
Though being sickly and struggling to wield a blade, the young lord Vigaš took his sister to war, finding the council's decisions utterly defied the House's customs. Less than a sixth of Melys' bannermen and family sided with the young Vigaš, and supported him in his battle against his sister. Naturally though, majority of the bannermen that sided with Vigaš were lower tier troops, and only two Melys knights joined Vigaš in his cause. Thus, with a force of 300 strong, two knights, and a semi-experienced battle commander, Vigaš took his host to war, calling for his sister to renounce the Melys name, titles, and her position as Matriarch to him.
In response to Vigaš, the Lady Anateja laughed at him, boasting the fact that she had 1,300 to his 300, and majority of his men were of lesser training than hers. Still though, Vigaš figured he could win. Sick with ambition, Vigaš layed seige to Mjecynlaž Keep, and was promptly defeated. Lady Anateja had set a trap for the poor lad, garrisoning her castle with only 200 men, the rest hid in the countryside and forests, waiting for the young boy to lay seige. Once he did eventually lay seige, her army promptly swept the camp. slaughtering any men that wouldn't yield to her army.
Roughly 200 men immediately surrendered to the Melys host, and another 100 gave their lives to the battle as they'd rather die in battle than live as a coward. The two knights and one commander who had helped Vigaš were killed in battle, taking the lives of 30 Melys men before falling. Ser Lobard, Ser Bartoš, and the Lord Nalic are believed to be the names of the treasonous knights and lord, though history is unsure.
As for the fate of Vigaš, the poor lad was pierced by an arrow roughly 2 hours into the siege.
Casualties
Melys Men 	Vigaš Men 	Melys Nobles	Vigaš Nobles
150 footmen (Out of 900)	180 footmen	1 Knight 	2 Knights
60 archers (Out of 400) 	30 archers 	0 Lords 	2 Lords
=== Zamarinje Warring Period ===
=== Bannover Invasion and Displacement ===
=== Second House War (War of Honey and Thorns) ===
The Second House War was much more of a war than the first one was, where there were multiple battles that took place during this war, and not just one simple skirmish. This war would last 4 months, during the year 137 AF
==== Fail in Succession ====
The start of the war happened when once again a first-born child was skipped over in terms of succession. When the Head of Melys died and it came time for the council to decide the new heir, they deemed the 29 year old Ser Nadož unfit to rule do to his extreme temperment and lack of a sense of honor. Instead of the Lord Nadož, the council chose his younger brother, Lord Mjenaž, who was known to be a queer fellow, who would often roll in the mud with pigs, talk of trolls and pixies, and would chase ghosts around the halls of Měcynšau. Despite this, Lord Mjenaž, at the age of 27 was much more tempered than his older brother, and sought to avoid conflict anytime possible.
==== Calling the Banners ====
Naturally, as the hot-tempered one was skipped over in the line of succession for his more loony sibling, he chose violence quickly, and many of House Melys were quick to follow him. Despite them not appreciating his temper and knowing that he would bring Měcynšau to its doom if they didn't reign him in, they were awed by his sense of dignity and strength, and felt that they were bound to him by honor, seeing as he was the eldest child, and didn't actually lack the mental capacity to rule. Some 2,000 Melys men chose to follow Ser Nadož, and another 1,000 mercenaries were added to Nadož's army after they received a sum of 300 gold talons (Equivalent to $30,000.) 
Now accompanied with his host of 3,000 men, 3 knights, and 2 lords, he and his army rode West to meet up with a minor Vědanican noble, who sought riches and glory. Garrisoning in the castle of Boravjek. Ser Nadož now boasted an army of 3,500 compared to House Melys' army of 3,000.
==== Battle of Kašakaj (Draw) ====
The Battle of Kašakaj was the first battle that started off the War of Honey and Thorns. The Loyalists (Followers of Lord Mjenaž) and the Thornists (Followers of Ser Nadož) both met up outside the village of Blišnac. Here begun the battle of Kašakaj, of which everybody was certain that the Thornists would slaughter the Loyalists, seeing as they outnumbered The Loyalists by 800 men, with the Thornists consisting of an army of 3,300 (200 garrisoned in 2 settlements.) versus the Loyalist army of 2,500 (500 garrisoned in 4 settlements.)
After a two-day grace period for both sides to gather resources, plan strategies, etc, the battle of Kašakaj began. Both sides stood at the edges of the field, opposite of each other, forming their lines. While the Thorns opted for a more standard formation of spears in the front, archers in the back, and a flanking unit on the side, the Loyalists went for a new formation. They placed their archers infront as to maximize range and kill as many of the Thorns' frontlines as possible, spears and swordsmen in the back, and a calvary unit hidden in the woods.
As the Thorns advanced, the Loyalists loosed their arrows, killing many Thornist men, eventually once the Thorns got too close, the Loyalists threw forth their infantry, and the frontlines started to form. Archers from both sides loosed arrows, killing many from both sides. The mercenaries that the Thorns placed on their left flank, advanced after the frontlines in hopes of enveloping the enemy lines. This was negated though, as 200 cavalry rode out of the tree-line, and slaughtered the mercenary swordsman. The Mercenaries quickly fled from the battle, instantly turning the odds into the Loyalists' favor. Although, the mercenary archers did kill 50 cavalry, a devastating blow to the Loyalist force.
Back on the frontlines, the Thornists were winning the front, causing many Loyalists to flee. The cavalry had now gone after the Thornist archers, and thus, both sides began to withdraw from the battle, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.
The Battle of Kašakaj was the bloodiest battle during the entirety of the war.
Kašakaj Casualties
Thornist Deaths	Loyalist Deaths	Noble Deaths 	Remaining
~700 Spears 	~800 Spears 	Ser Devjan Melys II (Thornist) 	1,400 Thornists - Army
~500 Swords 	~100 Swords 	Lord Vigaš Melys IV (Loyalist) 	200 Thornists - Garrison
~200 Archers 	~200 Archers 	Ser Lobard Jašyn III (Loyalist) 	1,350 Loyalists - Army
N/A 	~50 Cavalry 	Lord Pěnac Boravjek (Vědanican Thornist)	500 Loyalists - Garrison
~1,400 Total 	~1,150 Total 	4 Total 	N/A
**Note that the Thornists also lost the entirety of their Mercenaries, while most of them died, the rest fled.
==== Siege of Trošanjek (Thorn Victory) ====
The siege of Trošanjek took place shortly after the Battle of Kašakaj, when the Thornist army required a moral booster, and would take much longer to recover from the battle than the Loyalists would. To solve their lack of resources and moral, Ser Nadož sought to take Trošanjek and its vassal-town of Boravnac.
===== Raid of Boravnac =====
Four days after the battle of Kašakaj, Ser Nadož and his Thornist army arrivedc in Boravnac, to enact revenge on the Loyalist forces, claim further resources, raise moral, and force the Loyalists into submission. Nadož's soldiers charged into the unfortified village, slaughtering and capturing any civillians they could find, and burning and sacking the village. While Boravnac did have a decent garrison of 100 men, the lack of fortifications and sheer number of Nadož's army completely left the garrison useless.
Instead, the garrison gathered as many civillians as they could, along with any resources, and made for Trošanjek, where they knew they'd stand a better chance against the Thornist army. Sadly, the Thornists pursued the fleeing people, killing about 60 of Boravnac's garrison, and half of the civillian populous.
===== Trošanjek =====
Roughly 400 people managed to get to the safety of Trošanjek, where they promptly closed the gates, portcullis, and immediately prepared for the oncoming siege. As the Thornist army arrived a few hours after the civillians, they immediately began construction of the siege camp, constructing trebuchets, ladders, trenches, etc. The small garrison of Trošanjek was nothing against the Thornist army, yet they immediately got to work as soon as the civillians had come. They constructed barricades, reinforced the gates, prepared arrows, sharpened swords, etc.
Sixteen days after both sides had began work, the Thornists were finally ready to besiege the castle, and attempt to take it. They threw boulders upon the stone walls of Trošanjek, in hopes of destroying a section of the walls, and to weaken the defenders' spirits. They sent forth their ladders and the battering rams, and then began a battle of the archers, with both sides throwing everything they had to wound and otherwise kill the other side.
From Trošanjek, the defenders threw rocks and barrels over the walls, and shot as many arrows as they had. The battle was already bloody enough, and yet the attackers hadn't even reached the walls yet with ladders. Once the ladders did come, blood truly flowed down the walls of Trošanjek. Thornist after Thornist was killed the second they reached the top of the wall, getting stabbed, shot at from the sides, and hot sand being poured over their heads. Eventually though, after some 250 soldiers had been killed, the attackers gained a foot-hold on the walls, and began to drive the defenders back.
Down below on the ground-level, the Thornists attempted to breach the gates with their battering ram, and eventually the gates did fall, but the portculis still remained. They threw a large wedge beneath the portculis, and raised it up despite fierce opposition, and flooded through the castle. Quickly the defenders and civillians fell, and soon enough the castle was taken. Ser Faroš who was in command of the castle's defense, was held up in the keep, with the last remaining soldiers he had, some 20 or so. They waiting for the on-coming storm, and soon enough, they were all slaughtered. Fighting 10 - 1, they stood no chance.
The Thornists raised their rose banner over the Loyalist banners, and claimed the castle as their own.
Trošanjek Casualties
Thornists 	Loyalists 	Civillians 	Nobles
~150 Archers	~50 Archers	~300 Men 	-Ser Faroš Melys (Loyalist)
~300 Spears 	~60 Spears 	~200 Women 	N/A
~100 Swords 	~30 Swords 	~150 Children	N/A
==== Ambush of Vlejrašau (Loyal Victory) ====
After the Thornists took Trošanjek, they set their eyes easy, to attempt to take Vlejrašau, in hopes that the peace loving lord of Melys would just sit in his castle and avoid conflict. They moved east 2 days after taking Trošanjek, with an army of only 850, they couldn't afford to leave any garrison at Trošanjek. They arrived at the Měcynšau Plateau a day after they started their march from Trošanjek, and as they attempted their climb of the Plateau to reach Vlejrašau, they were ambushed!
The Loyalist army had begun to march south immediately once they heard of the Siege of Trošanjek. Knowing that they couldn't beat the Thornist army, Lord Mjenaž encamped at the top of the Měcynšau Plateau, knowing that Ser Nadož would eventually make his way to take Vlejrašau. All 1,350 Loyalists in the army, and the extra 100 from the Vlejrašau garrison, the Loyalists easily had the largest army now, and just had to buy their time before they could strike and effectively wipe out the Thornists.
The Loyalists descended upon the tired and outnumbered Thornists, slaughtering 200 men within the first 10 minutes of the battle. Immediately the Thornists began to flee, turning the Thornist fighting force from 850, down to 350. But of the men that remained, they fought to the bitter last, something that the Loyalist host applauded.
Casualties
Thornist Deaths	Thornists Fled	Loyalist Deaths	Noble Deaths
~300 Spears 	~200 Spears 	~50 Spears 	Ser Bartoš Melys II (Thornist)
~200 Archers 	~50 Archers 	~0 Archers 	Ser Laž Jašyn I (Thornist)
~50 Swords 	~50 Swords 	~50 Swords 	N/A
==== Retaking of Trošanjek (Loyal Victory) ====
==== Siege of Boravjek (Loyal Victory) ====
== Modern History ==
=== Vědanica ===
==== Confederation ====
==== Vědanican Influence ====
=== Zamarinje ===
==== Re-establishing Relations ====
==== [Port Name] Agreement ====
=== 3rd House War (War of Chickens) ===
==== The Line of Jones ====
During the ages after the War of Roses and Thorns, a beautiful chicken was born in the stables of Měcynšau. The chicken was said to glow with a deep sea hue, and shined as if it were golden. The chicken was dubbed "Davy Jones" due to its oceanic nature. Thus, the line of Jones was born, with children upon children being born to the magnificent chicken.
This chicken was the jewel of Měcynšau's artisianry. The Lord Mjenaž Melys II displayed the chicken in all of its glory, making this chicken a symbol of pride for the noble house of Melys. Despite this, Davy Jones was found bloodied and torn one day in a local farmer's stable. It is unknown how the chicken was killed, and it seems that the farmer himself was not responsible for the chicken's death. Infact the farmer was found bloodied next to the chicken's corpse with a spear in his hand. Somebody had broken into the farmer's stables, and killed the chicken.
==== Death of the Newborn ====
The lord of Melys was outraged, though the Jones Line endured, with many progeny being found throughout the March. Sadly, these chickens had become corrupted with the death of Davy Jones, and they began slaughtering each other, all wanting the famous Ship of Jones; a magnificent toy that was crafted by the finest Měcynec toymakers. 
One day as the Lord Běnic Melys I walked about the castle of Měcynšau, he discovered the horrifying truth of the Jones Line. As he watched a noble Jones Chick being born, the eldest chickens gathered into a group, and slaughtered the hatchling. Lord Běnic was outraged! He ordered the magnificent chickens to death, stating that such wonted kinslaying was disgraceful to the name of Jones and Melys, and their dues were owed. Běnic slaughtered all of the chickens that conspired against the hatchling in a public execution. All of the Jones Chickens were forced to watch their brethern be slain, and many citizens attended too.
Later on in the castle's library, Lord Běnic and Ser Mežnu Melys discussed the treachory, realizing that many hatchlings had been disappearing recently, and they suspected that all of the elder Jones' had been in cahoots, slaughtering all of the hatchlings. They argued on what to do with the chickens, with Běnic demanding that they all be put to the sword, with only one newborn hatchlings protected and raised outside the corrupted views of the Jones'. On the opposal, Mežnu demanded that they be kept alive, and simply live in banishment, though Běnic knew that as long as the corrupted chickens remained, they would bring dishonor to the noble name of Davy Jones.
Běnic took quick action, drew his sword Mjecenivco, and ran to slaughter every last Davy Jones Chicken but the two hatchlings. Mežnu attempted to stop him, but he was far too late. All the chickens lay dead, and the only two hatchlings were left of the Jones line. One of the hatchlings, horrified by the display, threw himself into the flames of a nearby fireplace, ridding himself of the display. The other hatchling however, was soothed by the Lord Běnic, and they managed to keep him alive. They dubbed the hatchling, "Sparrow Jones," the last of the Jones Line.
Ser Mežnu, horrified by what he saw, raised as many Melys soldiers as he could, and declared open war on his eldest brother. Běnic, disappointed in his brother, raised his own banner men, and soon set off to defeat his brother on the open field, and fight the second Battle of Brothers.
==== Second Battle of Kašakaj ====
Melys House Head Documentation
Name 	Nickname 	Reign 	Age at end of Reign	Notable Events
Lord Sekarž I 	"the Honey Knight"	573 AF - 521 AF 	83 	- Founded House Melys
- Built the castle of Mjecynlaž
- Born with golden eyes
Lady Anateja Melys I	"the Conciliator" 	342 AF - 301 AF 	60 	-Skipped over Lord Vigaš in line of Succession.
-Won the First House War
Lord Mjenaž Melys I 	"the Decisive" 	137 AF - 109 AF 	55 	- Skipped over Ser Nadož in line of Succession
- Won the War of Honey and Thorns (Second House War)
- Assassinated in sleep by Ser Lažin due to War of Honey and Thorns
Lord Běnic Melys I 	"the Golden" 	106 AI - Present	N/A 	- Born with golden eyes
- Established Melys land in Zamarinje Islands
- Oraganized Melys Histories