House Baultery

**Head of House**
 **Heir**
 **Seat**
 **Lands**
 **Overlords**
 **Vassals**

Among humanities earliest-recorded houses, the **House of Baultery** is a pureblood wizarding family whose first roots spread in the ancestral nation of Arathor under *Civentus Baultery* during the reign of King Thoradin of Arathor. Once a family with many branches spread over the varying nations of men, few survive to this day as a result of the mounting turmoils of the world.

In present day, the strongest remaining branch of the Baultery family exists in what is now Duskwood, governed by its reluctant lord, Cylus Baultery.

## History

### The Earliest Records

Though the words of House Baultery are known commonly to be "Arcane preserve", these words were first recorded several hundred years after the first records of the House of Baultery were uncovered. These earliest records consist of a merchants receipt for a storefront in the city of Strom, dated 2,967 BDP to *Civentus Baultery,* a bookbinder by trade. It is believed that during the next few centuries, many records that detailed the history of House Baultery within the Kingdom of Arathor were lost during the period known today as the Troll Wars. However, the next oldest surviving record of the family name was discovered in what would have been the newly-founded Magocracy of Dalaran. This record was a sales ledger recording the annual sale of wands from a wand shoppe owned by one *Kiracus Baultery* during the year 2,793 BDP. This sales ledger marks the first of many abundant mentions of the family following the Troll Wars, beginning first in the Magocracy of Dalaran before spreading over the next millennium to nations and city-states such as the Kingdom's of Arathor, Alterac, Gilneas, Lordaeron, and Stormwind. Though it is the sales ledger documenting the ownership of a wand shoppe in Dalaran that marks the introduction of the House of Baultery to the practice of arcane magic; some members of the House point to this as indication of the families ancestry leading back to the First Hundred. This claim, however, is unsubtantiated.

### The Birth of a Legacy

Early in the ages of men and elves, the House of Baultery developed a legacy that would follow the venerable house to this day. With the rise of arcane magic came the rise of its more vile counterparts. It was during the period of the first three centuries of mankind's wielding of arcane magic where the first records of Dark Wizard Hunters from the House of Baultery were found. A view shared widely with humanity at this time, House Baultery saw the wielders of the dark arts as enemies of the natural order and threats to be dealt with. The Dark Wizard Hunters of House Baultery were known for their brutal efficiency, often paid by wealthy lords to exterminate practitioners of the dark arts within their lands. And so it was in the period of 2,400's BDP where the House of Baultery gained a reputation for its intolerance for the dark arts and its practitioners, often hunting them ruthlessly whenever they were made aware of their presence. It is unclear whether these early views were shaped by the Magocracy of Dalaran, where the family can trace its earliest magical lineage, or if they were adopted and cultivated by the family itself. Regardless, to this day, the House of Baultery remains unwaveringly intolerant of those who practice the dark arts, actively forbidding its use within the lands it rules while attempting to flush them out of the Kingdom they serve.

### The Growth of the House

While the earliest records of House Baultery show that the bloodline began in the Kingdom of Arathor before relocating to the Magocracy of Dalaran, more interestingly are the records illustrating the families growth and spreading across the other nations of men. Several records have been uncovered noting the Baultery name from the archives of churches and cathedrals to the private records of wealthy nobles from the varying kingdoms of men. These records often document that wizards from the wizarding family were often requested to serve as advisors in a lord's court, as teachers for a wealthy nobles magically-gifted son or daughter, or most notably as Dark Wizard Hunters. Such knowledge supports the idea that the initial spread of the Baultery bloodline came from the pursuit of esteemed employment and explains why the name can be found appearing in the varying nations of men without bearing titles of nobility respective to the crowns they served under.

It wasn't until the year 1,200 BDP, during the founding of the Kingdom of Stormwind, where the Baultery name is recorded as nobility. This name, and the first Baultery known to carry a title of nobility, was *Lucius Baultery.* Though historians are uncertain of the exact year, the founding of Woodshire in the verdant forests of Brightwood. - the fief ruled and governed by the House of Baultery - occurred within the first century following the founding of Stormwind. This fief remains to this day, though much of the original architecture does not.

### The Modern Era

In the ages since the first mentions of the family name, the Baultery's have produced several powerful and formidable witches and wizards, with at least one from every generation - including present - serving the crown of Stormwind through the Stormwind Circle of Magi, often through the hunting of Dark Wizards. There has never been a generation of the Baultery bloodline recorded to be without a natural-born wielder of the arcane. Over the millennia, the presence of the Baultery name in the varying nations of men has dwindled to such a point where it exists almost exclusively in the Kingdom of Stormwind. There had been abundant records indicating that descendants of the Baultery bloodline in Dalaran had been long-established within the city-state even into present time, though any record of a living Baultery descendant ended with the Fall of Dalaran at the hands of Archimonde. It is believed that they perished during the cities destruction.

Today, the ancestral lands of the House of Baultery remain within what is present-day Duskwood. Woodshire, founded by Lucius Baultery almost 1,200 years ago, remains as a moderate settlement overlooked by Baultery Manor. It is governed by the currently patriarch of the ancient and venerable wizarding house, *Cylus Baultery*, though his presence in the Manor is not often felt. It is known that Cylus governs reluctantly and only because it is expected of his position, in respect for his families legacy. Cylus serves the Kingdom of Stormwind through his contributions to the Ministry of Magical Affairs, acting as the Director for the Magical Enforcement Bureau. Furthermore, Cylus Baultery currently holds the position as the Minister of Academics for the Magocracy of Dalaran and is responsible for the cultivation and education of the city-states next generation of witches and wizards.

### **Military, Guard, and Command**

Whereas many noble houses of the Alliance boast armies of men ranging across the hundreds and thousands, the House of Baultery does not. Rather, the House of Baultery does not boast men at all. Instead, the wizarding house boasts its magic; those mages who, in fealty to their patron house, have sworn to fight with sword and spell beneath its banner. Still, the ratio of man to mage is enormous. Because of this, the army which is commanded by the wizarding house is not one of flesh and blood, but of stone.

In slumber, hundreds of statues - carved of stone in the likeness of spearmen, archers, horsemen, and knights - await the spell that would awaken them in the Houses' time of need. For every one hundred statues, there is one mage to command them on the field of battle. While still smaller than the armies of some of the larger noble houses of the Alliance, what is lacking in number is made up for in all other aspects. Statues do not require food, quarter, or pay; they do not grow tired, they do not suffer disease, they do not lose morale, and they do not betray. Every company of statues is under the authority of at least one of House Baultery's mages, ensuring that orders are received quickly and in accordance with the Mage Lord of the House. This command structure ensures that wherever the company is sent, the presence of devastating arcane magic will be with them.

Like its soldiers, the guard of Woodshire are made up of approximately 25-30 animated stone knights.

### Family Profession: Wandmakers

Since the time of Kiracus Baultery, in the year 2,793 BDP, wandlore and crafting has been a traditional, magical trade of the family. Almost every generation of Baultery is recorded to have had at least one family member with notable talent in the craft, with several instances of wand shoppes being opened in the varying nations of men over the millennia. In recent history, the House of Baultery has leaned away from the opening of wand shoppes and instead produces wands and staves for magical universities and academies including the Academy of Arcane Arts and Sciences in Stormwind City. Some have said that some of the best wandmakers in Azeroth hail from Woodshire, taking their supply of magical and mundane wood from the *Grove of Kiracus*; a grove of magical and mundane trees named after the first wandmaker in the families recorded history. The Grove of Kiracus is a carefully maintained grove overlooked by Baultery Manor and contains trees, both mundane and magical, transplanted from around the known world and cultivated for use by the wandmakers of Woodshire. This grove allows the wandmakers to select from a variety of woods compatible with the crafting of wands and staves, including rare and valuable woods otherwise found naturally in select locations around the planet. Many of the transplanted trees require constant care to enable them to thrive and grow, despite being away from their natural habitats.

### Family Legend

With such a long-standing history, several myths and legends were born within the family and spread throughout the generations. There is one, however, that was and is most predominant to this day. Given the history belonging to this ancient wizarding family, it is often claimed by many a Baultery that the lineage of their bloodline can be traced as far back as the First Hundred of mankind's magi. Though there are records that can support this claim, historians do not believe there is enough to fully or formally substantiate it. To this day, it remains a proud legend of the Baultery family, though it has yet to be proven as anything more than a tale.

### Death and Funeral Rites and Traditions

The House of Baultery has always viewed death as the unfortunate, but unavoidable, step that every living person must one day take. Because of this, a Baultery does not commonly fear their death if it is through natural causes or while in service to a cause. Instead, it is said that a Baultery will reluctantly welcome death as an old friend when their time comes. It is considered by members of House Baultery to be an egregious insult to speak poorly of the honored dead, presuming the deceased in question did not bring shame upon the House during their life. It is common for a Baultery, when speaking of the honored dead, to include the phrase "May they rest" as a show of respect for those who came before them. Members of House Baultery exalt their deceased, celebrating the lives of those of the honored House who have passed on throughout the generations of the families history. This celebration traditionally takes place during a three-day period from November 1st to November 3rd, which historians believe was influenced by the cultural celebrations of the Day of the Dead, which occurs during the same 3-day period. Notably, during the period of this celebration, it is known that graves found in the ancestral lands of the House of Baultery will bloom with mageroyal naturally. Furthermore, any member of the Baultery bloodline buried abroad is paid special visit to afford them the same honor of blooming mageroyal upon their final resting place.

Traditionally, a Baultery is buried with what historian's have called '**Burial Wands**'; or, wands specifically fashioned prior to their death with the intention to be buried with the deceased of the wizarding House. These wands are often very decorative, though are recorded as being perfectly capable of performing magic as well. According to tradition, the deceased Baultery is buried with their Burial Wand so that they may carry arcane magic with them into the next life, and so that their family will never be further from them than the palm of their hand.

During a traditional Baultery funeral, living members of the House and others in attendance are known to sing the funeral hymn of the House of Baultery as a means to remind the living that their honored dead carry on into a life beyond this one. The **hymn** is recorded below:

*"I am a poor wayfaring stranger. I'm travelling through this world of woe. Yet there's no sickness, toil nor danger. In that bright land to which I go. I'm going there to see my father. I'm going there, no more to roam. I'm only going over Jordan. I'm only going over home.*

*I know dark clouds will gather 'round me. I know my way is rough and steep. But golden fields lie just before me. Where the Light's redeemed shall ever sleep. I'm going home to see my mother. And all my loved ones who've gone on. I'm only going over Jordan. I'm only going over home.*

*I am a poor wayfaring stranger. I'm travelling through this world of woe. Yet there's no sickness, toil nor danger. In that bright land to which I go. I'm going there to see my father. I'm going there, no more to roam. I'm only going over Jordan. I'm only going over home."*

(Credit to this song: "I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger" - Jos Slovick)

## Notable Members

### Cylus Peter Baultery

Cylus P. Baultery is currently the ruling patriarch of this wizarding house.

### Medvun Runetree

Medvun Runetree currently serves as governor of the fief of Woodshire under appointment by Cylus Baultery, enabling the patriarch of the ruling House to execute his duties away from home.

**Palleus Baultery**

Palleus Baultery is the oldest living member of the family and has been the keeper of the Grove of Kiracus for the last 100 years. While his age certainly shows, his longevity can be accredited to his life-long practice of the arcane arts. Some say his exposure to the magics within the families ancestral Grove play an added part.

## Lands and Vassals

### Woodshire

House Baultery governs the fief of Woodshire, located in present-day Duskwood. Woodshire is home to Baultery Manor; the ancestral home of the Baultery nobility. The moderately-sized settlement is known for its production of lumber, firstly, but furthermore for its production of wands and staves. Though there are plenty other wandmakers in the world of Azeroth, it is often said that a wand made by a Baultery is a wand that will never fail.