Broken. Never bent. Those are our words. The Stormbroken would bend the knee to no ruler they did not fear, would follow no one they did not respect, and obey not a single ruler who did not earn their station. A man who rules simply because his father’s father won a battle that nobody can remember is no ruler at all. A crown, no matter how elegant, meant nothing if it rested upon limp shoulders. The Stormbroken followed strength, and strength alone. But strength didn’t come from men alone, and as I stared out upon our ships from the Broken Keep that rested upon the largest of the islands of the Breach, I knew that none would question my own leadership simply because I wasn’t born with a cock between my legs. Women and men were all alike here; we are all born the same, we all bleed the same, and we will all die the same.
We are the Stormbroken.
At the cusp of the Breach, where cliffs fall hundreds of feet into the cold rush of the waves, it was easy to forget all the land that lay behind you; from the Hinterlands to the Lowlands, the Arm to the Golden Fields, all paled in the sheer scope of the sea. A vast, unconquered expanse, ever changing and ever cold. We rode the waves, certainly, but we didn’t own them; none could claim the sea. However, staring down upon the fleet that rested at anchor at the harbours of the Breach, the sea was perhaps our greatest asset. The ocean was a cruel mistress, but we knew it better than any other.
To an outsider, the lands of Stormtir were no prize at all. Its forests were too dense, its grounds too steep, and its pathways so narrow that barely a single horse could travel comfortably, never-mind an army. One must tread with caution; one misstep, one mistake of footing, and the jagged inclines of the land would claim you, as they had so many others. To an outsider, the lands of Stormtir were hardly worth the men it would take it occupy it.
But outsiders don’t understand the land like we do. The land is temporary, and each year more and more crumbles to the Breach, back to the ocean that birthed us. We are the Stormbroken, and we make that name true. If one hasn’t experienced the peril of the waves, they can’t appreciate the ground beneath their feet. The storms that wreck the western shore have made us what we are, and they are the only thing that shall break us. We may be born to the land, but we live and die by the sea.

House Name
House Aublanc

Sigil



House Words
"The Bloodline is Precious."

House Specialty
Pferdjager Cavalry – The first nation to put archers on horseback, Gradiar's specialty lies with their unique cavalry unit. Especially useful for hunting and protecting herds, the Pferdjager have also made important appearances in the warfare of House Aublanc. Each rider must be a skilled equestrian with well developed leg muscles, for the use of a bow requires the rider to temporarily ignore the reigns. Though lightly armored during the hunt, the Pferdjager mounted cavalry is a heavy unit during battles, with both rider and mount being outfitted with heavy chainmetal skirts and interlocking metal plates. These heavier units form irregular, rapidly swirling lines advancing in seemingly-chaotic unison that converge in the center of their opponent, raining volleys of arrows the entire time. Some lighter units might also be utilized for flanking and for fighting smaller groups of enemies with the Ababi shot, a military tactic that involves archers engaging and retreating from an enemy while turning their upper bodies backwards and shooting behind their mounts.

Ancestral Weapon
l'Odyssa – A longbow created for the founder of House Aublanc, Fleur the Merchant, to signify the completion of his journey across the known world, bringing back the riches that would be used to lay the foundations of his grand house. Crafted by the master bowyer of legend, Iphitus Eurytus, l'Odyssa is a beautiful thing with its ornate bone centerpiece, thick yew limbs, and curling platinum horns. Not every man is able to string this great bow from nook to nook, for it's strong body stands over five feet tall with smooth, rolling curves.

Important Members



Small Council
Chancellor
Sentinel
Steward
Master of Shadows
Master of War
High Priest

Vassals
House Aryllin, Duchy of Lionsreach
House Hoying, Duchy of Pipersden

Realm
The Kingdom of Gradiar in the Lower Midlands, Upper Lowlands

Primary Holding
Keep of the Roses -

Aberfin Porth -

Vassal Holdings

Influence & Relations
Terijas

Veronia

Exports & Imports
Aquaculture - Squid

Horses -

Ore – Tin, Copper, Platinum.

Recent History

Other Information
N/A