House Arana

House Arana of Alinor
	Higher We Soar
Coat of arms	A golden gryphon on black; (Sable, a Gryphon rampant or)
Seats	Abagarlas (formerly); Eldarhall; Gryphonrock; Gryphonhold (summer palace);
Head	Extinct
Regions	Heartlands (formerly); Crownlands;
Titles	Gryphonlord (pre-Rebellion); King of Abagarlas (pre-Rebellion); King of the Summerset Isles; Lord of the White City; Prince of Gryphonrock (heir apparent);
Overlord	Sovereign
Cadet Branch	House Telarion
Ancestral artefact	Silverlight
Founded	Arana family: before 1E 153; House Arana of Alinor: 1E 368
Died out	2E 601

House Arana was an Altmeri House of Ayleid descent. The Arana sigil is a gryphon, gold on black. The House words are "Higher We Soar". In the wake of the Ayleid exodus from Cyrodiil, House Arana migrated to the Altmeri homeland, eventually conquering the archipelago and reestablishing itself as House Arana of Alinor.

After the Alessian Slave Rebellion they were pushed out of Cyrodiil and migrated to Valenwood in search of refuge, they would reside there for more than a century until the death of King Anumaril, after which his three grandchildren took what loyal soldiers remained to them and began a war of conquest for the Summerset Archipelago in 1E 366. Following the conclusion of the war, Aerel Arana was declared King Aerel I of the Summerset Isles, and ordered the finalisation of a castle on the island of Wasten Coraldale, an abandoned isle strategically positioned at the mouth of Oleander Bay, which would eventually become the dynastic seat granted to the heir apparent of Arana monarchs.

House Arana ruled as the Kings of the Summerset Isles for nearly 3.000 years. Fifteen Aranas ruled from the Marble Throne of Alinor. The dynasty ended with Ayrenn I Arana, who led an ambitious campaign during the Three Banners War to seize the Ruby Throne of Cyrodiil and rule over the entire continent. Her increasingly desperate and ruthless methods culminated in the Sack of the Imperial City, which resulted in the deaths of tens to hundreds of thousands of civilians, finally ending in her assassination at the hands of Lord Eridion Aeldaris, extinguishing House Arana.

Culture[]

Traits[]

The phrase "blood of the Ayleids" or "blood of the gryphon" refers to the Ayleid descent of the Aranas, and more specifically to the fact that they were one of thirty gryphonlord families of the Ayleid Empire. The typical Arana features remind strongly of the typical Ayleid features: deep olive skin, silver hair, and eyes in a variety of shades of blue, or sometimes light green.

The Aranas are more resistant to disease and other physical genetic abnormalities, though they are not altogether immune from either.

A trait typical to Aranas is a natural affinity for (and attraction to) dark magic, notably coldfire. The affinity has been in the Arana family since before they relocated from Valenwood to Alinor in 1E 368. This natural affinity was passed on to the cadet branch, House Telarion, as well.

The Aranas are seen as prone to madness, presumably caused by their inbreeding. Within the Arana family it is common for members to either achieve greatness, or descend into varying forms of madness, often showing aspects of both.

Customs[]

House Arana's words are "Higher We Soar". Their sigil is a gryphon, gold on black. Some younger children of the House used variations of the standard sigil.

In line with the sigil colours, most Aranas used armour black or deep gold in colour (e.g., Maerel Arana who wore black ebony plate armour trimmed with gold).

Although the Arana kings took their seat at Eldarhall, their fortress of Gryphonrock was kept in their possession, built throughout the years of Aerel I's reign. It eventually became the traditional seat of the heir-apparent to the throne, who was known as the Prince of Gryphonrock.

House Arana traditionally followed the Alvarlic gods of the Ayleid Empire. However, after Aerel I Arana's first coronation during his invasion, the Aranas abandoned Alvarlism and converted to the Church of Alaxon, the dominant religion in the Summerset Archipelago. Despite this, they continued to follow the Ayleid practice of incestuous marriage, wedding brother to sister, cousin to cousin, uncle to niece and aunt to nephew, holding themselves apart from and above the noble Altmeri families.

Gryphons[]

As one of the several gryphonlord families of the Ayleid Empire, the Aranas were closer to gryphons than other Mer. Aerel Arana brought five gryphons with him when he moved from Valenwood to the Summerset Archipelago, and he and his sisters rode them into battle during his conquest the archipelago in 1E 366–368. The Aranas rode their gryphons during the first X after Aerel's Invasion. Deaths in battle, especially during the Clash of the Gryphons, caused the family's stable to dwindle. The last gryphon died in its infancy during the reign of X.

The Aranas housed their gryphons in a large pens in Gryphonrock, their ancestral fortress-home, which was constructed during the reign of Aerel I Arana. Not all gryphons which hatched were ridden, however. In the lands near Gryphonrock, several gryphons, both wild and previously ridden, resided during the reigns of X and X.

At some point, it became tradition to gift a newborn child with a gryphon's egg in the cradle. This practice continued even after the death of the last gryphon, with the last Aranas confirmed to have been given an egg having been the sons of Prince Aenyril during the reign of X ? Arana. Whether the tradition was continued beyond this point is unknown; However, the Aranas still possessed eggs as recent as the reign of Ayrenn I Arana. Several attempts have been made, since the death of the last gryphon, to hatch these eggs by members of House Arana. This list includes Aenar, Kinlady Helaerel, Kinlord Aerel, and Kinlord Aenar.

History[]

Sworn Houses[]

Quotes[]

Family Tree[]

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