House Blackfyre

A spear piercing a black sun

The **House Blackfyre** is a sister house of the Royal House of Caliban, the reigning house of Rockfield. Originally formed as the house of Daemon Blackfyre, the bastard son of King Antony Edmund I, House Blackfyre operated as a minor noble house. Eventually, the name "Blackfyre", which was itself a nickname for the bastard Daemon, became the official name of the house when Sigmund Blackfyre was named Señor Presidente. Eventually, House Blackfyre died out, being revived by Prince Alfonso in 2999 during a disagreement over royal inheritance and title succession. Since the reformation, House Blackfyre has held the title "Duke of Sinacras".

## List of Blackfyre heads

### **Daemon Blackfyre**

The first Blackfyre, Daemon Blackfyre was the bastard son of King Antony Edmund I. As an illegitimate child, Daemon had no last name on birth. By the laws of Rockfield, he was unable to inherit anything from his father and held little legal protections. Upon his birth, his mother died. Likely unaware of the state of the boy's mother, Antony Edmund I did little for the boy. However, Señor Presidente Lionel Carlos found the boy and gave him protection and shelter as the King's own blood. Eventually, Carlos informed the King of the existence of Daemon.

Upon the news of his existence, Antony Edmund had the boy brought to court. For the years of his reign, Daemon lived among the King's own children. He became the boyhood best friend to Maximilian, the King's second son who would eventually ascend to the throne upon the heirless death of Charles IV. Following Antony Edmund's death in 2804, Daemon continued to live among the King's children (which now included the King). Daemon played a significant role in the courts of King Charles IV and King Maximilian, eventually earning the nickname "Blackfyre" to represent Daemon's burning passion and the black to represent his illegitimacy. On Maximilian's deathbed in 2821, he named his best friend Daemon Blackfyre as the regent for his baby son, John. However, Daemon would die days before Maximilian, leaving his mother - Elisa Pius - to become Queen-regent.

During the reign of Maximilian, Daemon's relationship with the future Mad Queen is one left out of much historical conjecture. Some believe that the two had a strong relationship, with much of the constructive elements of Maximilian's reign being as a result of these two passionate court-members. Others, however, argue that the relationship was strained and that the decision to make Daemon the regent infuriated Elisa Pius.

Daemon's death in 2821 left a gap in the court, with many of the influential members becoming second to that of the Blackfyre Prince. On the orders of the dying King Maximilian, Daemon was to be buried in the crypt of the Iberian Palace along with other princes. While Maximilian's wish to have Daemon legitimized post-mortem never came to fruition because of his death, he is remembered as an active member of court and one of King's blood. Daemon had one child, Sigmund, who became the unofficial head upon Daemon's death.

### **Sigmund Blackfyre**

The son of Daemon Blackfyre, Sigmund's life started as the son of King Maximilian's closest advisor. He lived much of his early life at the court of Maximilian and grew up around the younger royal family members and liege lords. Sigmund was determined to enter academia and wished to pursue a career in theology and religious studies. He was determined to study at Pembroke University but did not want his father's assistance in getting there: he wanted his merits to carry him. Upon his father's death in 2821, Sigmund left court. As the bastard grandchild of a King, Sigmund had few friends left. His father had been loved by his brother Kings. However, with many of their deaths and only his half-cousins around court, Sigmund had little reason to continue to be the "Blackfyre" of the court. In addition to the lack of natural allies, the regency of Elisa Pius left little room for a passionate court member like his father. Elisa Pius' regency - and later her reign - proved a disturbing time as tyrannical rule began to settle in.

After leaving court, Sigmund moved to the European continent. As an outsider, Sigmund developed strong relationships with many of those with a vested interest in the future of the Balancin throne. One in particular was Robyn Martell, a distant relative of the royal house, who had invested heavily in the anti-Pius rebellions throughout her decade long tyrannical reign. While Sigmund was never educated at Pembroke, as was his dream, he was educated as the University of Munich in which he graduated with a degree in Theology. In 2836, Sigmund was called before Antony Edmund II - the exiled Martell heir.

Upon his arrival in the docks of Ecclesia, Sigmund reportedly kept the claimant King waiting for three days. Sigmund instead visited St. Konstantin's Basilica, reportedly praying for a full three days. Eventually, Sigmund went before Antony Edmund II. It is unknown how their relationship started. However, several weeks later, Sigmund bent the knee and was one of the few people present when he was proclaimed the rightful King of the Rock and regnant of the East. Sigmund was appointed Señor Presidente of the exiled King and the group began plotting for Antony Edmund's restoration to the throne. Following the Pontifical crusade of 2840 - which saw Pontifex Ivanov II approve a religious invasion to oust Elisa Pius - Antony Edmund II was properly restored to the Iberian Throne and Sigmund continued his role as Señor Presidente in the court. During the reign of Antony Edmund II, Sigmund was at the head of much of the government and was instrumental in many of the reforms that made Antony Edmund II such a good king.

During this time as the second most powerful person in the Kingdom, Sigmund formally established "House Blackfyre", in honour of his father. He chose the black sun sigil as the House banner. Sigmund continued to serve as Señor Presidente throughout the entire nineteen-year reign of Antony Edmund II and well into the reign of his son, Charles V. Sigmund's time as Señor Presidente would end when Sigmund's eldest son, Henry, declared his loyalty to Isabel over the younger (but heir due to male-preference primogeniture) Alfonso. Despite Sigmund not declaring for either side, his decision not to denounce his "treacherous" son left him unable to lead the court. Sigmund lived the rest of his life in relative comfort, having established House Blackfyre as a powerful and wealthy noble family. Sigmund died of natural causes in 2886.