Vaena Askari
Lady Cadalthor
House Cadalthor
"Tradition, Unity, Strength."
These three words form the credo of the Noble House of Cadalthor and embody its principles. Everything that the Eldorai stand for flows from tradition. They must take counsel from the wisdom of their glorious ancestors and their faith in the Great Goddess Ashira. In doing so, they can achieve unity as a race and as a community of true believers. This gives them the strength to protect their civilisation against menaces and fulfil their goddess-given destiny.
The ducal House of Cadalthor regards itself as a pillar of Eldorai conservatism. It continues to hold the banner high in a changing Galaxy, and has emerged as a leader of the Old Guard that chafes under the reforms the Venari Restoration forced upon the Eldorai Matriarchy. However, at the same time it has been eager to profit from contact with foreigners and grasp the commercial opportunities these offer. Depending on your perspective, this makes them either practical or hypocritical.
Religious fundamentalism, bigotry and xenophobia are often associated with Cadalthor. While this is undoubtedly correct, the House has shown a surprising degree of flexibility in choosing its allies and in playing the Great Game. As is so often, power politics often trump ideology, though the House's devotion to Ashiranism is sincere. Its supporters cast it as a sincere, devoted defender of Eldorai independence against enemies within and without, for Cadalthors took up arms to fight Kar'zun, corsairs, slavers and heretics whose actions threatened to divide the nation. The noble house honours those of its members who fell on the field of battle as martyrs, depicting them as an example to follow.
A streak of romanticism runs through the family, conjuring up images of Eldorai phalanxes engaging Kar'zun, of honour duels and pageantry. This obscurs how closely the House was tied to the subjugation and near-extermination of the rock people, how it supported the Truthseekers to clamp down upon heretics and freethinkers and how ruthlessly it plays the Game at the Court of Courts. Of course, Byzantine intrigue comes as natural to an Eldorai noblewoman as breathing, but few are as certain as the Cadalthors that the Throne belongs to them.
The Cadalthor matriarch is one of the few Duchesses in the Matriarchy, giving her considerable sway and clout. Traditionally, the matriarch has been titled the Duchess of Galandrona. The duchy no longer exists since Kaeshana's destruction, but the family still uses the title for the sake of tradition. The family's holdings are considerable. They possess lavish estates and have invested heavily in mining, agriculture and construction. Cadalthor sponsors several religious charities, schools and Temple orphanages, but adamantly refuses to support secular ones.
In actual fact, House Cadalthor is a cadet branch of the House of Venari, the current royal family. To be precise, they're cadets of Tirathana IV, the great, great, great grandmother of Tirathana VII and Silaqui III.
The family has existed as an independent house for a few centuries, though the panegyrics claim that Cadalthors have links to previous royal dynasties. This is no surprise because it is fairly common amongst Eldorai nobles to claim to be descended from more illustrious matriachs to legitimise themselves.
Like their parent clan, the Venaris, the Cadalthors trace their lineage back to the dynasty of Ariane the Great, the Saedaris. Ariane is honoured as the Star Queen who restored the Eldorai to glory and broke the Kar'zun, effectively ending them as a threat to the supremacy of the elves.
What is less mentioned is the fact that the rock people were almost wiped out in a genocidal campaign, before being exiled to reservation zones. According to the Cadalthor family tree, the house was founded by Celestine Cadalthor the Daemonslayer. She was a close companion of Ariane and an enthusiastic supporter of her crusade to make the Eldorai great again and end the threat posed by the Kar'zun once and for all.
Though meant for the priesthood, she took up her sarix after her older sister was slain in battle, distinguishing herself in many battles against the hereditary enemy. She commanded a Legion during the sacking of Vak'zahr, when the Eldorai sacked the Kar'zun capital and slaughtered any of the rock people they found. Some even claim that she executed the last member of their royal line, though this account is disputed. For decades after this cataclysmic event that reshaped the history of Kaeshana, Cadalthors held sway over the reservation zones the Kar'zun had been forced into. Celestine herself could not enjoy her fortunes for long, for she died under mysterious circumstances during an inspection tour after her patron died.
However, the House's propagandists also trace back its line of descent to the Prophestess Caerys Tasir, who is said to have foretold the ascension of Tassaria the Liberator. It is not as blatant as claiming an unbroken lineage that stretches back to the first Star Queen, but the message is clear enough. Especially when you consider the rumours that Caerys and the Scion of House Cytani were romantically involved.
House Cadalthor's fortunes have waxed and waned over the centuries. Falls have been followed by rises, but the family has never been far from strife and court intrigue. Queen Maelys II was a creature of her Cadalthor Chief Minister, who used her influence amongst the Truthseekers and the priesthood. However, the clan's matriarch fell out of favour when Tirathana V took over and curtailed their power, after exiling their matriarch. Their relationship with their parent clan has been characterised by both alliances and fierce rivalry. Mikela Cadalthor, the mother of Tarissa, came to power in the clan by allying with Tirathana VI when the latter overthrew the Evora branch of the family in a bloody coup to seize the Throne. In the process, Mikela also rid herself of her older sister, Ariane, and took control over the clan herself.
It is likely that Mikela intended to become queen herself, for she switched her support to the Venaris at the last possible moment after hedging her bets. Both women were very alike: Reactionary, orthodox and very stubborn, which might explain why they never trusted one another. Decades later, the matriarch's daughter Tarissa would be fond of saying that her mother let the chance to take the crown slip out of her grasp.
Cadalthor reacted with strong hostility to the arrival of foreigners upon sacred Kaeshana's surface. All aliens were demons, for they were creations of Illyria. In the light of the fact that many of these foreigners were cutthroats and pirates who preyed upon Eldorai and wanted to take them captive as slaves, this was probably understandable. Thus they fully supported the isolationist, exclusionary policies pursued by Her Majesty's Government and were particularly prominent in the Truthseekers, whose powers were strengthened to suppress dissent amongst the population.
The upheavals Eldorai society went through have not left the traditionalist house untouched, though. Ironically, the archconservative Tarissa's ascension to leadership of the family owed a lot to her at times grudging alliances with humans and reformist factions at the Court of Courts, despite her own xenophobic, fundamentalist views. Tarissa herself was thrown into the limelight after her older sister Sylviane died a martyr's death fighting foreign corsairs, gaining a place in the family's hall of fame since she was awarded a posthumous decoration for her bravery. Tarissa backed Silaqui's party during Nalia's coup and later personally led a Great Company to relieve the royal palace when the 'Righteous Army' rebelled and tried to turn the clock back to the good old days.
Like many noble houses, Cadalthor was split during these earth-shaking events, for Tarissa's aunt Myela had thrown her support behind Nalia and was exiled for this. In her case, this probably had less to do with ideology and a lot with wanting to unseat Mikela after the latter had used a scandal to disgrace and marginalise her sister.
Tarissa Cadalthor assumed control over the clan during the Silent Purge after a cabal of conservative Eldorai nobles made an attempt on Lady Siobhan Kerrigan's life and succeeded in nearly killing the Countess, one of the two human members of the Peerage. Mikela was implicated in the plot and personally executed by her daughter after trying to kill her upon being confronted.
Rumours imply that the Scion might have framed her mother. This is quite plausible because she chafed under her yoke and there was little love between the two. The Scion already displayed her ruthlessness when she ordered captured, rebel Angelii to be hung, drawn and quarted after Silaqui was assassinated by traitors. However, rumours of a tempestuous affair between Tarisssa and Lady Kerrigan cannot be confirmed, though it might explain the rather poor relationship between Cadalthor and Lady Alcori.
Cadalthor was one of the noble houses informed in advance of the coming apocalypse that would be delivered by an asteroid crashing into Kaeshana's surface. Unlike most nobles, Tarissa elected to stay on the planet until terminus was almost imminent. Her ruthless crisis management won her both friends and enemies, but played a big role in aiding the Exodus. The fact that the Eldorai would not have survived as a race were it not for the help of outsiders, especially Firemane Industries and the Silver Coalition, was a sobering experience for the House. However, despite some concessions, their commitment to orthodoxy has not wavered. After all, the fact that the Goddess guided them to a new world was a sign that Ashira was still with her children. What Lady Elaris thinks of the fact that Cadalthor has labelled her a Prophetess of Ashira is another matter entirely.
Today, Cadalthor owns considerable holdings on Tygara. The Duchess herself led a Qadiri army during the Final Battle against the Xioquo, participating in the conquest of the Underealm. Cadalthor has been adamant in her belief that Tygara is the Promised Land of the Eldorai. It is their duty to uplift, civilise and educate the Xioquo, who were led astray by demons. Moreover, the Qadiri and Vashyada must understand their place in things and become vassals of the Eldorai Matriarchy.
In other words, the clan embraces the notions of 'manifest destiny' and 'benign imperialism'. The clan sponsores several humanitarian initiatives to improve the lives of the Xioquo, though also with the intent of converting them to Ashira and getting them to accept Eldorai rule. Cadalthor has also supported expansionary ventures to found Eldorai colonies on the tropical world of Arkas, declaring there is a need for more living space. Strangely, the duchess seems to have struck up a friendship with Lady Galina Kerrigan-Alcori and has taken it upon herself to initiate her in courtly life.
Presently, Cadalthor has no daughters. In the case of her premature demise, leadership would pass to her cousin, Sylviana Cadalthor. Lady Sylviana is devout, but believed to be of a gentler, less intense nature than the Duchess, and to have more of a common touch. She made a name for herself through her efforts to preserve the native animal species of Kaeshana by providing funds and organising efforts to evacuate specimen to Tygara.
Like her cousin, she is a patron of the arts, but unlike her has criticised the notion that 'abstract art' should be considered decadent. However, cynical observers believe that her gentler persona might just be a facade to make her more attractive to liberals and prevent the Duchess from identifying her as a threat.
For one, she made waves when she called the idea that Eldorai and humans might share common origins not just 'absurd, but dangerous and blasphemous.' One of the many closely guarded secrets of the clan is the fact that an Angelii Host Leader called Vaena Askari is actually the bastard daughter of Myela Cadalthor. The girl was conceived through a liaison with a harem boy, declared illegitimate and sent to the Temple of Ashira for adoption to get her out of the way. Both the soldier and Duchess Cadalthor know they are related, but have little contact, though Tarissa keeps tabs on her cousin, just in case she gets ideas and forgets herself. After all, technically being a bastard is not an eternal barrier.
Presumably Tarissa will produce an heiress soon in order to stabilise her hold on power. The Cadalthors are traditionalists, and so it is not uncommon for a matriarch to forego the rigours of pregnancy by having one of their servant girls get knocked up and then claiming the child as their own. Unsurprisingly, the clan is a strong supporter of absolute enactic succession.
Like every Great House, the Cadalthors maintain their own household troops. Unsurprisingly, these are limited in number because of the Doctrine of Absolutism prohibits the creation of feudal armies that could challenge the Star Queen. However, the security force is still capable of protecting the clan's interests. Moreover, Cadalthor has a network of spies and assassins to handle duties that require a more subtler touch.
Tarissa Cadalthor is the Queen's second cousin and thus her one day making a bid for the throne is not impossible. The same applies to trying to become Regent should the Queen die while her daughter Ariane is still a minor. Liberals and progressives maintain that a Cadalthor Regency would drag the Eldorai back into a dark age. Any attempt at a power grab would arouse significant opposition. At the same time, Cadalthor has a strong following amongst the conservative caucus in the Council.
I am open to other writers in this group playing Cadalthor family members, servants, vassals, warriors and so on. 
"Tradition, Unity, Strength."
These three words form the credo of the Noble House of Cadalthor and embody its principles. Everything that the Eldorai stand for flows from tradition. They must take counsel from the wisdom of their glorious ancestors and their faith in the Great Goddess Ashira. In doing so, they can achieve unity as a race and as a community of true believers. This gives them the strength to protect their civilisation against menaces and fulfil their goddess-given destiny.
The ducal House of Cadalthor regards itself as a pillar of Eldorai conservatism. It continues to hold the banner high in a changing Galaxy, and has emerged as a leader of the Old Guard that chafes under the reforms the Venari Restoration forced upon the Eldorai Matriarchy. However, at the same time it has been eager to profit from contact with foreigners and grasp the commercial opportunities these offer. Depending on your perspective, this makes them either practical or hypocritical.
Religious fundamentalism, bigotry and xenophobia are often associated with Cadalthor. While this is undoubtedly correct, the House has shown a surprising degree of flexibility in choosing its allies and in playing the Great Game. As is so often, power politics often trump ideology, though the House's devotion to Ashiranism is sincere. Its supporters cast it as a sincere, devoted defender of Eldorai independence against enemies within and without, for Cadalthors took up arms to fight Kar'zun, corsairs, slavers and heretics whose actions threatened to divide the nation. The noble house honours those of its members who fell on the field of battle as martyrs, depicting them as an example to follow.
A streak of romanticism runs through the family, conjuring up images of Eldorai phalanxes engaging Kar'zun, of honour duels and pageantry. This obscurs how closely the House was tied to the subjugation and near-extermination of the rock people, how it supported the Truthseekers to clamp down upon heretics and freethinkers and how ruthlessly it plays the Game at the Court of Courts. Of course, Byzantine intrigue comes as natural to an Eldorai noblewoman as breathing, but few are as certain as the Cadalthors that the Throne belongs to them.
The Cadalthor matriarch is one of the few Duchesses in the Matriarchy, giving her considerable sway and clout. Traditionally, the matriarch has been titled the Duchess of Galandrona. The duchy no longer exists since Kaeshana's destruction, but the family still uses the title for the sake of tradition. The family's holdings are considerable. They possess lavish estates and have invested heavily in mining, agriculture and construction. Cadalthor sponsors several religious charities, schools and Temple orphanages, but adamantly refuses to support secular ones.
In actual fact, House Cadalthor is a cadet branch of the House of Venari, the current royal family. To be precise, they're cadets of Tirathana IV, the great, great, great grandmother of Tirathana VII and Silaqui III.
The family has existed as an independent house for a few centuries, though the panegyrics claim that Cadalthors have links to previous royal dynasties. This is no surprise because it is fairly common amongst Eldorai nobles to claim to be descended from more illustrious matriachs to legitimise themselves.
Like their parent clan, the Venaris, the Cadalthors trace their lineage back to the dynasty of Ariane the Great, the Saedaris. Ariane is honoured as the Star Queen who restored the Eldorai to glory and broke the Kar'zun, effectively ending them as a threat to the supremacy of the elves.
What is less mentioned is the fact that the rock people were almost wiped out in a genocidal campaign, before being exiled to reservation zones. According to the Cadalthor family tree, the house was founded by Celestine Cadalthor the Daemonslayer. She was a close companion of Ariane and an enthusiastic supporter of her crusade to make the Eldorai great again and end the threat posed by the Kar'zun once and for all.
Though meant for the priesthood, she took up her sarix after her older sister was slain in battle, distinguishing herself in many battles against the hereditary enemy. She commanded a Legion during the sacking of Vak'zahr, when the Eldorai sacked the Kar'zun capital and slaughtered any of the rock people they found. Some even claim that she executed the last member of their royal line, though this account is disputed. For decades after this cataclysmic event that reshaped the history of Kaeshana, Cadalthors held sway over the reservation zones the Kar'zun had been forced into. Celestine herself could not enjoy her fortunes for long, for she died under mysterious circumstances during an inspection tour after her patron died.
However, the House's propagandists also trace back its line of descent to the Prophestess Caerys Tasir, who is said to have foretold the ascension of Tassaria the Liberator. It is not as blatant as claiming an unbroken lineage that stretches back to the first Star Queen, but the message is clear enough. Especially when you consider the rumours that Caerys and the Scion of House Cytani were romantically involved.
House Cadalthor's fortunes have waxed and waned over the centuries. Falls have been followed by rises, but the family has never been far from strife and court intrigue. Queen Maelys II was a creature of her Cadalthor Chief Minister, who used her influence amongst the Truthseekers and the priesthood. However, the clan's matriarch fell out of favour when Tirathana V took over and curtailed their power, after exiling their matriarch. Their relationship with their parent clan has been characterised by both alliances and fierce rivalry. Mikela Cadalthor, the mother of Tarissa, came to power in the clan by allying with Tirathana VI when the latter overthrew the Evora branch of the family in a bloody coup to seize the Throne. In the process, Mikela also rid herself of her older sister, Ariane, and took control over the clan herself.
It is likely that Mikela intended to become queen herself, for she switched her support to the Venaris at the last possible moment after hedging her bets. Both women were very alike: Reactionary, orthodox and very stubborn, which might explain why they never trusted one another. Decades later, the matriarch's daughter Tarissa would be fond of saying that her mother let the chance to take the crown slip out of her grasp.
Cadalthor reacted with strong hostility to the arrival of foreigners upon sacred Kaeshana's surface. All aliens were demons, for they were creations of Illyria. In the light of the fact that many of these foreigners were cutthroats and pirates who preyed upon Eldorai and wanted to take them captive as slaves, this was probably understandable. Thus they fully supported the isolationist, exclusionary policies pursued by Her Majesty's Government and were particularly prominent in the Truthseekers, whose powers were strengthened to suppress dissent amongst the population.
The upheavals Eldorai society went through have not left the traditionalist house untouched, though. Ironically, the archconservative Tarissa's ascension to leadership of the family owed a lot to her at times grudging alliances with humans and reformist factions at the Court of Courts, despite her own xenophobic, fundamentalist views. Tarissa herself was thrown into the limelight after her older sister Sylviane died a martyr's death fighting foreign corsairs, gaining a place in the family's hall of fame since she was awarded a posthumous decoration for her bravery. Tarissa backed Silaqui's party during Nalia's coup and later personally led a Great Company to relieve the royal palace when the 'Righteous Army' rebelled and tried to turn the clock back to the good old days.
Like many noble houses, Cadalthor was split during these earth-shaking events, for Tarissa's aunt Myela had thrown her support behind Nalia and was exiled for this. In her case, this probably had less to do with ideology and a lot with wanting to unseat Mikela after the latter had used a scandal to disgrace and marginalise her sister.
Tarissa Cadalthor assumed control over the clan during the Silent Purge after a cabal of conservative Eldorai nobles made an attempt on Lady Siobhan Kerrigan's life and succeeded in nearly killing the Countess, one of the two human members of the Peerage. Mikela was implicated in the plot and personally executed by her daughter after trying to kill her upon being confronted.
Rumours imply that the Scion might have framed her mother. This is quite plausible because she chafed under her yoke and there was little love between the two. The Scion already displayed her ruthlessness when she ordered captured, rebel Angelii to be hung, drawn and quarted after Silaqui was assassinated by traitors. However, rumours of a tempestuous affair between Tarisssa and Lady Kerrigan cannot be confirmed, though it might explain the rather poor relationship between Cadalthor and Lady Alcori.
Cadalthor was one of the noble houses informed in advance of the coming apocalypse that would be delivered by an asteroid crashing into Kaeshana's surface. Unlike most nobles, Tarissa elected to stay on the planet until terminus was almost imminent. Her ruthless crisis management won her both friends and enemies, but played a big role in aiding the Exodus. The fact that the Eldorai would not have survived as a race were it not for the help of outsiders, especially Firemane Industries and the Silver Coalition, was a sobering experience for the House. However, despite some concessions, their commitment to orthodoxy has not wavered. After all, the fact that the Goddess guided them to a new world was a sign that Ashira was still with her children. What Lady Elaris thinks of the fact that Cadalthor has labelled her a Prophetess of Ashira is another matter entirely.
Today, Cadalthor owns considerable holdings on Tygara. The Duchess herself led a Qadiri army during the Final Battle against the Xioquo, participating in the conquest of the Underealm. Cadalthor has been adamant in her belief that Tygara is the Promised Land of the Eldorai. It is their duty to uplift, civilise and educate the Xioquo, who were led astray by demons. Moreover, the Qadiri and Vashyada must understand their place in things and become vassals of the Eldorai Matriarchy.
In other words, the clan embraces the notions of 'manifest destiny' and 'benign imperialism'. The clan sponsores several humanitarian initiatives to improve the lives of the Xioquo, though also with the intent of converting them to Ashira and getting them to accept Eldorai rule. Cadalthor has also supported expansionary ventures to found Eldorai colonies on the tropical world of Arkas, declaring there is a need for more living space. Strangely, the duchess seems to have struck up a friendship with Lady Galina Kerrigan-Alcori and has taken it upon herself to initiate her in courtly life.
Presently, Cadalthor has no daughters. In the case of her premature demise, leadership would pass to her cousin, Sylviana Cadalthor. Lady Sylviana is devout, but believed to be of a gentler, less intense nature than the Duchess, and to have more of a common touch. She made a name for herself through her efforts to preserve the native animal species of Kaeshana by providing funds and organising efforts to evacuate specimen to Tygara.
Like her cousin, she is a patron of the arts, but unlike her has criticised the notion that 'abstract art' should be considered decadent. However, cynical observers believe that her gentler persona might just be a facade to make her more attractive to liberals and prevent the Duchess from identifying her as a threat.
For one, she made waves when she called the idea that Eldorai and humans might share common origins not just 'absurd, but dangerous and blasphemous.' One of the many closely guarded secrets of the clan is the fact that an Angelii Host Leader called Vaena Askari is actually the bastard daughter of Myela Cadalthor. The girl was conceived through a liaison with a harem boy, declared illegitimate and sent to the Temple of Ashira for adoption to get her out of the way. Both the soldier and Duchess Cadalthor know they are related, but have little contact, though Tarissa keeps tabs on her cousin, just in case she gets ideas and forgets herself. After all, technically being a bastard is not an eternal barrier.
Presumably Tarissa will produce an heiress soon in order to stabilise her hold on power. The Cadalthors are traditionalists, and so it is not uncommon for a matriarch to forego the rigours of pregnancy by having one of their servant girls get knocked up and then claiming the child as their own. Unsurprisingly, the clan is a strong supporter of absolute enactic succession.
Like every Great House, the Cadalthors maintain their own household troops. Unsurprisingly, these are limited in number because of the Doctrine of Absolutism prohibits the creation of feudal armies that could challenge the Star Queen. However, the security force is still capable of protecting the clan's interests. Moreover, Cadalthor has a network of spies and assassins to handle duties that require a more subtler touch.
Tarissa Cadalthor is the Queen's second cousin and thus her one day making a bid for the throne is not impossible. The same applies to trying to become Regent should the Queen die while her daughter Ariane is still a minor. Liberals and progressives maintain that a Cadalthor Regency would drag the Eldorai back into a dark age. Any attempt at a power grab would arouse significant opposition. At the same time, Cadalthor has a strong following amongst the conservative caucus in the Council.
