[color=goldenrod][h3][u][b]Registration of Current Nobles[/b][/u][/h3]


[b][u]The Name of the Noble:[/u][/b][/color] Cheick Bosanda

[color=goldenrod][u][b]The House of which said noble belongs:[/b][/u][/color] House Bosanda


[color=goldenrod][u][b]Current Age of said Noble:[/b][/u][/color] 26


[color=goldenrod][u][b]House History:[/b][/u][/color] Tradition holds that House Bosanda is the oldest of the 10 Houses, and this may well be true. Long, long ago, the diverse and squabbling clans of Handon's eastern savannah were united under the rule of a line of priest-kings, terrible in war yet generous in friendship, and wise in the ways of that land's Four Gods - the Lion, the Spider, the Eel, and the Stork. These priest kings were the early Bosanda, and their people were and are fanatically loyal to them; only a Bosanda will ever truly rule their lands. 

When the ten houses united, House Bosanda threw their support behind the new kingdom unconditionally; they pride themselves on being a generous ally and a staunch protector to the king and the other houses. Though peace and prosperity reign in Handon, the armies of House Bosanda have not forgotten their history as warriors and conquerors, and remain ever vigilant for a threat to the peace of the realm.

For time immemorial, leadership in House Bosanda has passed from father to eldest son in an unbroken line of lords. Traditionally, the Lord of House Bosanda serves three roles - the first is as a military leader, for every son of Bosanda is trained in the arts of war from the moment they are able to grip a weapon, and the old Bosanda were said to always lead from the front (though in recent days, this role has fallen to less prominence). Second is as religious leader, for the lord of House Bosanda is said to have the greatest connection to the Four Gods, and the old faith remains strong among the people of the east. He is expected to provide the blessings of the gods to any of his vassals who seek him out, and is an important figure in many holidays and religious occurrences. Finally, he serves as representative of his people and peer of the other lords of the realm, for Bosanda's connection to the other houses is strong, as it always was.


[hider=The Four Gods]
The people of the Eastern Savannah have had but one faith for all their history - the faith of the Four Gods. Tradition holds that on the first day of the first men, the Four Gods came one by one to the first village to offer their wisdom and their blessings to mankind. The Stork came by dawn, the Lion at midday, the Eel at sunset and the Spider in the dead of night. On that village, the city of Konsak was founded, where House Bosanda has ruled ever since. (Many modern practitioners have come to view this story as largely metaphorical, though in the name of tradition they continue to act as though it is literally true.) 

The Four Gods are considered to be both timeless and genderless, depicted as old and young and male and female all at once. Though the faith is strongest by far in the Savannah, it has spread to a certain extent throughout the kingdom - most large cities will at least have a shrine to the Four, though some see more traffic than others. All worshippers of the Four Gods are expected to make pilgrimage to Konsak at least once in their life, and are encouraged to seek the blessing of the Lord Bosanda as well.

The Four Gods are:

Stork: The god of art, song, celebration, the sun, joy, carnal love and ease. The patron of lovers, poets, and dancers, it is said that the Stork came at Dawn, his arrival heralded by the most beautiful song known to human ears. It was the Stork that taught the art of glassblowing, led them in a dance and celebrated the dawning of the new age with a raucous feast. He taught people to love one another, to drink deep from the cup of life, and to be ever joyful, and he departed.

Lion: The god of war, courage, loyalty, laws, fire, mercy, and strength. Patron of warriors, kings, and parents. The Lion came in midday, when the sun was at its highest, and he made soldiers of men. He taught them to fight and protect, to build walls and to defend them. Honor and laws were the greatest of the Lion's gifts, for it was his decree that the strong must always protect the weak. He looked down on his people and saw that they were warriors, and roared, and left.

Eel: The god of home, family, farming, maturity and marriage. Patron of farmers, fishermen, merchants, and husbands and wives. The Eel came in the evening, and from his place in the river he taught men to fish, and to farm, and to mine the ore of the land. Under his gaze, the people built homes, took wedding vows, planned for the future. When the Eel knew that they were ready to live, to grow old and die together, he returned to the sea, and the sun sank below the horizon.

Spider: The god of wisdom, cunning, magic, craftsmen, and death. Patron of sorcerers, smiths, scholars, and the grieving. The Spider came at night, and he taught men the secret lore of the world; to pursue knowledge, to learn, to study. Magic was his gift, as was the art of blacksmithing. When he left, it is said he took one of the people with him, the first of the dead, for that was the spider's final gift: impermanence, so that men may always value what time they are alive.
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[hider= Banner]
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The banner of House Bosanda is simple - red and yellow, the colors of the Savannah sunset, with a stiff stripe to indicate their military prowess. The image of the Lion represents the god that the house associates itself with most closely, for their ferocity and courage. Rather rarely, it is considered a minor religious infraction to paint this symbol on anything but a shield, making it a 'banner' in name only; for House Bosanda believes themselves to be the aegis of the realm, and has no patience for silken things.

[color=goldenrod][u][b]Lands and Ownership:[/b][/u][/color] The Eastern Savannah - a large expanse of plains on the southeastern coast of Handon. There are a variety of small villages and towns that swear fealty to Bosanda, though the jewel of the Savannah is the walled city of Konsak, also known as 'The Glass City'. This is the largest settlement in the Savannah, and the traditional seat of House Bosana. Most of their people are farmers or fishermen, though they boast a larger-than-average army of elite warriors, and the skill and art of Konsak's smiths and glass-blowers are well-known throughout the kingdom.


[color=goldenrod][u][b]Autobiographical Knowledge:[/b][/u][/color] Cheick is the eldest son of the current Lord Bosanda, and he has been groomed for leadership his entire life. Ever the dutiful son, he studied the teachings of the Four Gods, practiced his skill at arms and sat through lesson after lesson about history and courtly tradition from a young age, as all eldest sons have before him. He is well beloved by his people, though his stoicism and silence are a stark contrast to his father's boisterous good humor.

Cheick has two siblings, a sister and a brother. His elder sister Aya is a powerful sorceress, believed by her parents to have been blessed by the wisdom of the Spider from a young age - the two are very close, and she is his most trusted confidant. He is more distant with his younger brother Ajak, a frail and sickly young man who was never quite up to the rigorous expectations of his household, and reacted to this difficulty via resentment of his prodigal brother. His father is an old man; though in his childhood Cheick knew him hardly at all, so busy was he with the Lord's duties, the two have become increasingly close as Cheick prepares to accept his father's responsibilities, though his father has not given up encouraging him to smile more and sing louder. "You have the strength of the Lion, and the Spider's wisdom, my son," he is so fond of saying, "But the Eel and the Stork are mysteries to you."

As to whether he has any ambitions in his life aside from serving in the office he is destined to, the answer is simple; he has never been allowed to, and he knows this. His role has always been clear; the solemn son, the warrior prince, raised in a land of beating sun in a City of Glass, friend to the people of the kingdom and peer to the great houses. Outwardly, this is his only identity, yet in private moments he admits to himself an abiding loneliness; for though the Lord of Bosanda must always be available to his people, he has never truly known a companion, someone he may be at peace with.


[color=goldenrod][u][b]Portrait:[/b][/u][/color] [img]
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