The House of Gyöngybagoly

The Coat of Arms of the House of Gyöngybagoly

### Titles

Grand Prince of Gyöngybagoly, Prince of Gyöngybagoly, Heavenly Sovereign of Avians

### Estate(s)

Grand Principality of Gyöngybagoly

The **House of Gyöngybagoly** is a major noble family within The Empire of Ostenbourg, especially within the Grand Principality of Gyöngybagoly which is named from and ruled by the house.

## History

St. Riew, known as *First of Avia, First of Gyöngybagoly,* is both the founder of the House of Gyöngybagoly, and creator of the very first unified avian state. Prior to St. Riew, the times the avians inhabited are commonly referred to as the "clan times" by avian scholars and experts, due to the many separate warring avian clans all competing for land and power. St. Riew was not one of these clans, he, still a wealthy and influential avian felt much more in common with the lowly avian peasantry. Seeing the many warring states around him, he felt anger and frustration, seeing these clans as nothing but hinders to a potential "Avian Greatness". He imagined "Avian Greatness" to have referred to a fully unified state of avian, eliminating the clans and centralizing everything to exercise the power of the Avians. He soon began openly talking to the public on his vision and image for "Avia". The people were apparently quickly enamored with his words upon hearing them, and massive crowds soon came wherever he came to speak. Soon, St. Riew was a figure known by all, even his potential foes, many of whom felt a great distrust and fear in his words. Using his mass wealth, and his ever growing, devoted crowd of almost religious followers, he decided he'd attempt the war he so sought after for Avia. He enlisted many a great mercenaries of his time and a grand amount of commoners, many of whom joined quite voluntarily. His armies were known for a described "insane fervor for unification and loyalty to Riew". The war ensued quite to the surprise of the other clans, with the advantage of rarely ever fighting a unified foe but individual war clans, his unified army, which was massive in comparison to an average clan, quickly outnumbered and made way to ruthlessly annihilate them. In instances where the Unified Armies met with larger and more experienced clans the battle saw far more bloodshed and could often take what felt like an eternity of charges. When all the previous clans were either entirely eliminated or sued for peace, St. Riew, in a popular frenzie, elected by a shocking majority as Leader of Avia, began a campaign of political unification. Establishing institutions, codifying, reforming and establishing new laws, establishing norms and traditions (almost all traceable back to St. Riew). One of the most enduring colors of Avia and the House of Gyöngybagoly, *purpur, argent, rose*, were the colors which adorned St. Riew's Unified Armies shields and robes while at war with the clans, originally Riews personal colors.

## Burials

For long, burials of the house were not standardized, neither method or site. Before the *Faith**,* pagan and personal standards took forefront. With the construction of the city of Hegyibagolyóvár and the Princely Church of St Riew, a standardized method from the Avian Church, now a site for Gyöngybagoly burials are implemented. Burials that happened beforehand are either, left in place (reserved for when important to that branch), moved over to the house crypt or, in case of pagan avian burnings, ceremonial busts erected.