Benegeserine

**The Benegeserine** or **Twelve Matriarchs** are the daughters of Mithra and the matriarchs of each of the houses in Illyria. The Benegeserine were each sorceresses and had a number of children, whose bloodline contributes to the unique Illyrian peope.

Each of the Benegeserine are patrons of a different form of art, a different musical instrument, a different type of flower, and a different discipline of weaponry. These are held as sacred and divine relationships that are represented in heraldry, symbols, and many kinds of art and architecture.

The unbroken matrilineal line from the Benegeserine is considered, in the Old Stock Code, *Pristine*; hailing from their sons or grandsons is a requirement for *Pure* stock, and otherwise is considered *Gentle* stock. Each of the Twelve Matriarchs are entombed within the Wall of Mithra, with a massive statue built upon their personal Mausoleum..

## Hierarchy and explanation of Old Stock

There are three divisions in which the Benegeserine are recognized: the First Daughters, which include the first two daughters of Mithra; the Prime Daughters, who are the third through ninth daughters, and the Later Daughters, who are the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth daughters.

The First Daughters are Lorraine and Catherine, the two daughters born before Mithra's son Mithradates I. They are both considered the highest value stock because they were not only born before the male heir of Mithra, but were the only children born before she became Queen. For this reason, they are considered prophetic daughters and pass along this fortune to their children.

The Prime Daughters are Adelaide, Chantellette, Bellecharlotte, Rosalinde, Malloraine, Debonnaire, and Atreadeasia. Each are named for a type of flower, of which they are associated with in Illyrian culture. They share the same father as the First Daughters and each other, the lord Hanaeas.

The Later Daughters Florimonde, Joliessa, and Virigene, were born when Mithra began to grow weak due to an unknown illness. They were named for virtues they were meant to embody. Their father is not often named explicitly, but outside of Illyria, it is often believed to have been Mithra's grandson Mithradates II.

## List of the Benegeserine

### Lorraine

The firstborn daughter of Mithra, Lorraine is the patron of both the House of Lorraine and the House of Merovia. Lorraine is seen as being courageous and often spoke of the importance of personal duty. She played the lyre and is closely associated with lyric poetry.

Lorraine's husband wielded the first ranseur, modeled after the water lily, and even today the weapon is used in ceremonial rites. Her flower is, of course, the water lily.

### Catherine

The second daughter of Mithra. Catherine's establishment of judges is one of many deeds that have cast her as a purveyor of justice and protector of the weak. She played the mandola, and is a symbol for those who pursue the visual arts like painting.

Catherine's husband wielded the menaulin. Her flower is the bay laurel.

### Adelaide

The third daughter of Mithra, and the first of the Prime Daughters. Adelaide emphasized in her own life and those of her sisters that they set an example for the gentry and common folk, thus she often represents honor and ethical duty. Adelaide played the pandura and patronized the art of logic and philosophy.

Adelaide's husband wielded the fauchard. Her flower is the dogbane flower.

### Chantellette

The fourth daughter of Mithra. Chantellette lived her entire life without ever telling a lie, and went further to always state her intentions without dressing in rhetoric. Chantellette played the castanet and throughout her life propagated the art of tailoring and weaving. She was also an avid horseback rider.

Chantellette's husband used a longarm that could be used on horseback, and thus patronized the bardiche. Her flower is the blue lupine.

### Bellecharlotte

The fifth daughter of Mithra. Bellecharlotte, much like Rosalinde, turned inward and desired to master oneself and to know oneself before trying to master or know the world. As a result, she is often associated with sculpting and meditative work. She also played the trigonon.

Bellecharlotte's husband led a platoon of infantry who wielded the first pikes. Her flower is the petunia.

### Rosalinde

The sixth daughter of Mithra. Rosalinde, like her sister Bellecharlotte, looked inward and desired excellence as not an act, but a habit throughout one's life. She played the zither tableture, and stories of her dancing have closely associated her with the art of choreography.

Rosalinde's husband also acted as her ward, and used a doloire. Her flower is the rose.

### Malloraine

The seventh daughter of Mithra. Malloraine was the first to venerate her mother and invoked her name as a method of healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and clothing the poor. For that reason, Malloraine is a symbol of piety and religious obligation. She is associated with ceramics, and her singing voice was said to be so beautiful that it could bring men to weep.

Malloraine surrounded herself with priests and thus patronized the planson. Her flower is the hibiscus flower, or rose mallow.

### Debonnaire

The eighth daughter of Mithra. She is best recognized for her wisdom and her quick wit, relating her patronizing of mathematics and the art of rhetoric. Debonnaire is frequently quoted in arguments even today, as her rhetoric remains timeless and practical even today. She also played the water organ.

Debonnaire and her husband developed the first counter-pike, later called a spontoon. Her flower is the orchid.

### Atreadeaisia

The ninth daughter of Mithra, who wed the Thane Oleg of "Flechen," which would later become Argo. She is the last of the Prime Daughters. She is seen as loyal and spoke frequently of familial duty. Atreadeaisia played the flute, and she is considered the patron of theatre.

Atreadeaisia at one time helped to design the bec de corbin. Her flower is the sunflower, or aster flower.

### Florimonde

The tenth daughter of Mithra and the first of the Later Daughters. Florimonde is the only women to have been married twice: she had seven daughters with her first husband Bolierre, though succession was passed to the children of her second husband, a Davarian prince named Jericho. Florimonde played the bowed lute, and patronized tragedy.

Florimonde helped develop the voulge, a variant of the Davarian glaive, which was used by her knights. Her flower is the nightshade flower.

### Joliessa

The eleventh daughter of Mithra, and second of the Later Daughters. Joliessa never let a slight or even insult bother her, and simply laughed in response to such transgressions. She was quick to forgive and love others. Joliessa played the pan flute, and patronized comedy.

Joliessa's husband forged and wielded the first bill hook. Her flower is the buttercup.

### Virigene

The last daughter of Mithra, who was born mere months before her death. Virigene holds the distinction for bearing the most children of any of Mithra's daughters. Ironically, she is also considered the most chaste and disciplined of the Benegeserine. Virigene played the tambourine and patronized love poetry.

Virigene is the patron of the corseque, as her husband wanted to honor her through her eldest sister Lorraine. Her flower is the lily of the valley.