DeLapena Family

The DeLapenas were a prominent family in Sunscale. They ruled over the city of Voralen semi-independently for centuries, as well as the Court of Feathers, until they were persecuted for treason and witchcraft in 779, leading to the execution of the vast majority of the family members and the exile and dispersion of the very few survivors throughout the country.

## History

### Origin

The DeLapena family tree originates from the legendary first century historical figure Urvora, also known as La Pena. Following her separation from her sister Arvora, Urvora founded the city of Voralen as a semi-independent territory, with the rule over it being passed down to the eldest daughter through the generations of Urvora's offspring, which would become known as the DeLapena family. As relations with the capital became more amicable, the DeLapenas were tasked with being the judicial core of the country, founding the Court of Feathers in 202.

### Acanthis' departure

During the reign of Passerine DeLapena (from 644 to 695), her two children, Eupasser and Acanthis began developing a rivalry. Acanthis was expected to be the future head of the family, a burden she didn't want, while Eupasser envied her position. Once Passerine died, Acanthis disappeared to avoid her responsibilities, dedicating herself to her beloved craft of robots and eventually creating five anthropomorphic birdlike robots she would call her children: Traversius, Sittas, Xenicus, Plychas and Dendros. With Acanthis being absent, Eupasser became the head of the family and instituted a patriarchal system in which the leadership would instead be passed down to the male descendants.

### Succession crisis

Under Eupasser's system, the family began to face some succession issues. The first generation of offspring from Eupasser consisted of two daughters, Passeri and Tyranni, with the rule being passed down to Passeri's son Corvido following the death of Eupasser. From there, even bigger issues arose, as Corvido only had one daughter, Passeroi. With this crisis, the only living male successors were Tyranni's grandson Kinberd and Passeroi's cousin Elbrus. However, based on bloodline, Kinberd was chosen, as he descended from the DeLapena family on the side of his father Lanius, while Elbrus descended from it on the side of his mother Pombaline, with his father Bennevis O'Tsira being an Acerian, a tribe with low social status.

### Persecution

As Kinberd became the head of the family, Elbrus' hate towards the DeLapenas grew. Leaving Voralen, he joined the police force and became a respected officer. During this time period, Elbrus found the inactive robots that Acanthis had left behind and, in 779, with the help of Hugo Alnico, who was studying them, reactivated the five robots and used them to stage an assault on the Prime Scallibra at the time, Bragan Joseforma, only to stop them himself and come out as the savior. Once the robots were examined, it was found that they had DeLapena signed onto them. Twisting the evidence, Elbrus accused the DeLapenas of staging the attack and trying to overthrow the government, leading to them being deemed unfit of ruling the Court of Feathers and Elbrus taking the lead. As the judge, he then sentenced the entire DeLapena family to incarceration and public execution. That same year, Passeroi, Pombaline, Saralisa, Vonlinée and head of the family Kinberd, along with Pombaline's husband Bennevis O'Tsira and all but two of the remaining descendants of Urvora were caught and executed on the Voralen cliff. The only survivors of the bloodline were Nectarinia Barcage DeLapena, who escaped with her father Barbosa Barcage to Genevaral, and Garalan DeLapena, who escaped with his father Baronmor O'Driscoll to Acerwood.

### Aftermath

With the DeLapenas gone, Voralen was left as a ghost town, housing only the Court of Feathers, and would remain as such until the Grey Revolution, at which point Elbrus O'Tsira would choose the Cathedral of Caveras as the headquarters of the Sepulchre Division of the RETICULA Forces. As for the survivors, Garalan would eventually join the Romantica Mafia and become Honordama of the Dermia District, while Nectarinia would meet Chihul Mosaten, and have a son with him, Ibis Mosaten.

## Notable members

* Urvora
* Passerine DeLapena
* Eupasser DeLapena
* Acanthis DeLapena
* Passeri DeLapena
* Tyranni DeLapena
* Acanthis' Birds
* Corvido DeLapena
* Pombaline DeLapena
* Saralisa DeLapena
* Passeroi DeLapena
* Elbrus O'Tsira
* Kinberd DeLapena
* Vonlinée DeLapena
* Nectarinia Barcage DeLapena
* Linn O'Tsira
* Garalan DeLapena
* Ibis Mosaten