House of Dithos

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> *"I've fought a thousand battles in the shade of these hallowed trees, yet I've never burnt a single leaf despite the number of charred corpses I've buried to help the forest grow."*
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## History

The House of Dithos was founded by its current leader, Sedhin Dithos, a mere century and a half ago. Like all of the Grove Lords in the verdant nation of Senfalas, he earned his station amongst the higher levels of the court through his own merit alone, one of the precious few non-Elves to do so. He served valiantly in battle against a threat that encroached upon the entire forest, and despite the prejudice against his racial heritage as well as his foreign nature direct towards him by the majority of the locals, he earned the respect of the ancient Lord Zaca. Despite the repeated and continuous risk to his own life, the greatest honor that could be bestowed upon him in the face of general disapproval was the title of Grove Lord.

Being an Ifrit from a distant desert land, he had anticipated not receiving the warmest of welcomes from a tree dwelling commune of elves, and so it was with great surprise and joy that he accepted the position. He did not speak freely of exactly why he had made the journey to Senfalas, but given his less than courtly manners and talent in combat, it was obvious he was not a native to the upper class. Even so, his consistent and selfless service managed to break down the walls of mistrust much of the older generation of elves directed against him. Glade Lord Talsyn in particular valued his strength of arms and knowledge of military strengths outside the boundaries of the city-state.

As such, he was allowed to build a castle within the township of Melenor, Lord Talsyn's personal domain, an exceedingly rare structure made entirely of stone, in case the most dreadful of circumstances arose and Senfalas found itself in need of a bastion that did not catch on fire. He participated in training the soldiers under the Glade Lord's command, teaching them of methods of warfare far beyond the scope of anything they had encountered amongst the deep shade of their homeland. Despite his high station, he maintained a strict schedule of performing patrols with the Senfalas Stalkers, though he always stayed clear of Head Stalker Drasa and her 'old-school' way of thinking when it came to outsiders.

It was once he had firmly cemented his place in the royal court that he encountered a most enchanting Wood Elf courtier by the name of Maylin. He fell firmly under her spell, and soon they were wed. She was able to climb the hierarchy of the nation much faster than most in her allotted role, while he adored her beauty and artistic talents. She was soon with child, giving birth to the heir of the household, Kharis Dithos. There they maintained a consistent peace amongst the trees, content to play their part on behalf of the monarch as well as the people who had come to consider the outsider and his offspring one of their own.

The only thing that tainted their record was a string of rumors, spaced out across the decades, of Lady Maylin stepping out on her beloved husband in various risqué escapades. Every few years or so, whispers of her courting another young man visiting the forest from another realm would spread. Harmless at first, the consistency with which they began gave some credence to them in the eyes of her spouse. She was never caught in the act, at least not publicly, and so official embarrassment was avoided, but the strain on their relationship continued to worsen. How that played out in the future remained to be seen . . .

## Holdings

**Dithos Castle** - The sole land given to the foreigner who'd earned noble status was used to construct a cutting edge (by Senfalan standards) fortress built entirely of stone and metal to serve as a shelter for the citizens should flames consume the forest. A squad of Senfalas Stalkers and supportive retainers are always on guard, and Lord Dithos ensures the facilities are maintained to excruciating standards of cleanliness and readiness. While it is only a single stronghold, in a nation whose warriors rely almost exclusively on ambush tactics and guerilla warfare, it stands as one of the only locations where their soldiers were expected to hold their ground.

## Notable Inhabitants

**Grove Lord Sedhin Dithos** - An Ifrit traveler who rose to the defense of Senfalas in a time of need and was rewarded for his actions with a noble title and favor from the monarch. He settled into his assigned duties naturally, and became a cornerstone for Senfalas' rather limited military might. He considers Glade Lord Talsyn to be a personal friend. He married a Wood Elf courtier named Maylin, and together they had one son, Kharis. He continues to serve faithfully to the present day.

**Lady Maylin Dithos** - A Wood Elf who pursued a higher lot in life through connections made in the courts of Senfalas proper, she saw a chance to get ahead by seducing a foreigner who would not be hotly contested by her peers. She succeeded, and became the wife of a Grove Lord, something she had sought for her own means. She is the center of many near-scandals, though she has never been conclusively judged guilty. She uses her wiles and network of contacts to further her husband's, and by extension her own, interests in the court. She is the mother of Kharis.

**Kharis Dithos** - The sole child of Sedhin and Maylin, and heir apparent of the House of Dithos, Kharis was raised in a position to be pampered and given an easy future. His father didn't allow that illusion to exist at all, gone like mist in the face of a raging fire. He was given strict military training from the time he could walk, and accompanied his father on patrols throughout the territories of Senfalas since he was a child. He did not spend much time with his mother, something he was grateful for as she always made him feel like a pawn in her schemes. He began to show signs of something unnatural occurring in his body after a few decades, and his efforts to follow in his father's footsteps may prove to be in vain.

## Membership

The only members of the household outside of the immediate family are those who work within the castle, and the small regiment of Senfalas Stalkers placed under Sedhin's command. The family Lord being an outsider himself, he is most welcoming to those who are different, so long as they are willing to follow orders and work tirelessly to keep the forests and their people safe from harm. As such, his cohort of warriors is one of the most diverse groups in the entire realm and open to talented individuals who prove themselves to him.