Exemplars of the Virtues: Part 2

Exemplars of the Virtues: Part 2 is a book that once belonged to Vincent Frostbrooke.

## History

After the death of Vincent Frostbrooke during the Attack on the Isle of Midalios, many of his belongings were sold off, auctioned or otherwise repurposed as per the requests of his will for sake of financing further activity within the settlement of Amber Run. Left to his brother Adrian however was a box filled with trinkets, included amongst them a dog-eared and tattered copy of Exemplars of the Virtues.

## Reading

### Completed by Adrian Frostbrooke

As discussed in the previous edition of this tome, choosing but a few knights of valour to select from the histories of the Golden Realm of Ahlus is a tiresome and difficult task - and thus proof to why a part two, and most likely, several other parts proves necessary.

#### Lutia Osvine

When the Sweet-Kiss Prince first made landfall upon the soil and stone of Ahlus, it is said that he did so on the banks of Stalrose Gorge, blessing all that would come to grow in the region with fecundity, vigour and vibrancy. Naturally, such fertility caught the eye of many that had come to reside in the area, and arguably most noteworthy amongst were what would become the House of Osvine. Under the guidance of the Mulberry Lord himself, Lutia, the first head of the noble household, would plant the first vines that have persisted to this day, creating numerous varietals of grapes subsequently refined, blending and bottled into what is considered amongst the pride of Atralran. As the vineyards at Stalrose became a symbol of Atralran refinement and skill, it predictably caught the envious eye of many - and so Lutia Osvine proved that she was true with the virtue of Mettle too, defending her family's lands from invasions from the Empire of Codorne on three separate occasions in as many decades and henceforth coming to be known as the Knight of Sweet Steel, as well showing Vigilance to efforts of sabotage from jealous rivals from across the continent.

Lutia took a grape vine for her banner, a *Grape Vine with Green Leaves on a Chequy Field of Purple and Gold.*

#### Quentin Castellan

A giant of a man, the tales claim that Quentin Castellan, the first Baronnet of the House of Castellan, grew to a measure of far over seven foot, (although there are many within the household that claim he instead eclipsed eight foot), despite being of pure human heritage. It was subsequently remarked that he had surely been shaped from a mighty pillar of sand by the Dawn Matron, his glimmering silvered armour only adding to his seemed bulk. A decade and a half after the founding of Chalimar, the settlement was ravaged by a fire believed to be started by followers of Uth'tan, the Indurated Baron of the Golden Ramparts. Quentin was present for management and the recovery process, holding broken and burnt timbers high to allow rescue efforts to occur. From this, Quentin founded a brotherhood of individuals that were willing and wanting to serve as a foundation for people to build upon and against, standing strong and reliable for the populace. On these ideals the Silvertowers were founded, which would, when conflict between the Realms started to brew, would become the standing army of the Golden Realm. Quentin Castellan would eventually fall in battle himself against a saurotaur war party, from which only his oversized gauntlet and shield would be recovered, which have been held by the House of Castellan within their main hall at Alabast ever since.

Quentin took a grey tower for his banner, an *Argent* *Tower Palewise on a Field of White.*

#### Perrin-Christofle Vasseur

Many would be excused for thinking of Perrin-Christofle Vasseur's brother when the name of the noble House is mentioned, for surely nearly every household has found delight in the cook-books and culinary guides written by the hand of Abelard-Claude. Many however, acknowledge that the Exalted Epicure was accompanied upon his journeys around the continent by his brother, who penned many tomes pertaining to their travels, near all of which made it be copied and distributed through the noble and wealthy with as much zeal as that of Abelard. Credit must of course be given to Perrin-Christofle however, for his ongoing vigilance and mettle, for the journeys that the pair made were hardly devoid of danger. Through combination of blade and spell, as befitting of the Atral way, Abelard-Claude claimed that Perrin-Christofle saved his life on no less than a dozen occasions, including against a pack of wyverns in the Giado Territories, a marauding elemental creature while in the marshlands of Lylcairn, a breeding pair of rocs in the Ironfangs, and a troll warlord while in northern Gawylthlan. To this effect, each of Abelard's books in his Definitive Guide to Cuisine series features a sigil depicting his brother's warpick and wand, as well as the banner of the House of Vasseur.

The Vasseurs fly their banners as a *Blue Font* *on a Field of Black with a Tan Bordure.*

#### Darwil Foxend

Serving in the court of King Larkin III Goldlor, Darwil Foxend was, up until the events of 552AG, considered rumbustious, as per many of the curious individuals that the throne's heir, Irving kept as company. He had acquitted himself in his earlier years as an adventurer of sorts, having travelled much of the southern stretches of the continent, and a number of forays in the Ironfangs too, but it would not be until the Margaste's coup that scholars truly took note. One amongst the few that were able to stand fast traitorous acts - including that the Commander of the Gilded Guard, Verain Lazard, Darwil was involved in the party that ensured the survival of the soon to be crowned King Irving II Goldlor, wielding the fearsome greatsword *Hereafter* to defend his liege, the weapon, suspected to be an artifact from a time before Aita's Second Gift mysteriously vanishing shortly after the coup's occurrence.

The Foxends wear and fly their banners as a *Grey Crescent-Shaped Arrowhead with a Border of Tree Stump Eradicated on a Field of Black and White Divided Per Cross.*

#### Bona Windbell

Known also as the Knight of the Chiming Charge and later the Displaced Seigneuresse, the lands of the gnomish House of Windbell are located within the forests of the Greater Greensong, and thus have found frequent quarrel with the residents of the forest - and those that enter the region from beyond. From the depths of the forest fey of all kind have been known to come and go, though in 308AG the lands ruled over Bona Windbell's father Oudin Windbell found themselves assaulted by a medley of malign folk, comprised of trolls, karakoncolos, druids guiding hordes and packs of slativets and triogroths and led by Zrazrott, a Fomorian warlord swearing allegiance to the Fomorian High-King Alabkos. After extensive conflict in the Greensong itself managed to push the marauders back into the Feywild, Bona and a contingency of soldiers, hailing from both the Silvertowers and adventurers from across the continent alike gave chase into the lands of the fey. Bona would not return, nor any that travelled with her - at least not initially. The Knight of the Chiming Charge would be remembered for her sacrifice, for no further incursions of the same type would come for the next generations, but such memories would turn to surprise and confusion when she would re-emerge some four hundred years later - under the belief that she had been engaged in a fierce campaign for little more than a year. Casting the tattered but still fresh head of Zrazrott to what she quickly noted was the feet of her grandnephew, she subsequently travelled to Chalimar to pledge her fealty to Larkin V Goldlor, who rewarded her with backdated pay in reference to Material Plane reckoning of the passage of time.

The Windbells utilise a cluster of bells on their banners, as *Five White Bells Arranged in a Cross on a Field of Blue with a White Fess Cotissed.*

#### Gerdus Galliard

In the early days of Atralran, particularly so as the ever-shifting borders of the Realms were first being drawn up, there was a vast demand for construction and fortification. Not just for castles, keeps and walls, but likewise for homesteads, stables, barns. Gerdus would come to found the House of Galliard after completing his Trial of Spirit, serving under a number of landed nobles alongside his ongoing studies at the fledgling places of learning growing in fame across the continent. It was during this time that Gerdus would travel to neighbouring Gawylthlan, where already the hardy folk had learned the necessity of strong foundations, selecting the locale of their settlements deliberately and purposefully. Seeking to learn why, Gerdus would come to discover the deposits subsequently known as Audrockian Sandslate, found in abundance throughout the lands to east of Atralran, but lacking within its own borders. Keen for his Realm to benefit from the hard-wearing and durable substrate, he entered into a marriage pact with a Gawylthlian noble house to secure trade deals, and so some of the oldest constructions in the Realm still bear the boons of this resolve. Likewise, however, many constructions of the historical rivals of Atralran bear the marks of his will, for in later life, Gerdus Galliard would come to be known as the Siegebreaker, using his extensive architectural knowledge to aid the Silvertowers in their conquests, and thus many an enemy fortress has come to rue his very name.

Gerdus took his measuring tools for his banner, *A Pair of Brown Callipers on a Field of Red with a Black Saltire Embattled.*