The Byres family is a minor aristocracy house, located in Izril.
Background[edit | edit source]
The Byres Family are distantly related to the Reinharts, making its members relatives of Magnolia Reinhart.[1] They are considered to be one of the Reinhart family’s branch houses, making them subservient to them. The family also has mercantile roots.[2] However their origins, the family is older than 6000 years.[3] They were the first [Knights] who rode with the Five Families, and afterwards became vampire slayers.[4]
Cool composure. Politeness at all times. That is the mark of a Byres. The Byres always try to be calm, no matter the circumstances, and if they don't manage that their foremost thought is to appear calm. It is important to them not to reveal their vulnerability.
The family's colors is silver, which is not just their pride but also their fortune.[5] Several large mines are located in their lands, filled with silver that they trade.[6] However, not all of it is being traded, as every warrior of the house is equipped with silver-metal alloy armor.[7]
Millennia ago, the Byres had befriended the Silver Dragon, Yderigrisel, and made a pact to build a shrine to offer silver to it. In exchange Yderigrisel would be there for them in their hour of need. Yderigrisel would eventually die, but a ‘legend’ would say that it would come back for the Byres' in their hour of need. This would come true as Yderigrisel did came back to fight in the Creler Wars, were it would perish for good. Yderigrisel’s death was the greatest tragedy for the Byres. They would still keep honoring the ancient pact of offering silver at its shrine, to the point that it became a family tradition.[3]
In the past the Byres family used to be richer, when there was a higher demand for quality silver. At that time they were a household name, but this changed with the disappearance of the Vampires. They used to be a scourge on Izril and had several large infestations that were wiped out over the centuries. House Byres was famous for rooting them out, with their silver being a key component of their destruction. They did so by poisoning every well and water source on Izril they were able to with silver. People and animals would drink this water and have trace amounts of silver inside of them, harming or weakening the vampires. It used to be said that if you wanted to survive a Vampire attack, you would wear a necklace of Byres silver.[8]
Tradition[edit | edit source]
The Byres family upholds numerous traditions. Some of them used to be involved in honoring their Terandrian roots, but as of the current generation no one in the family cares about them, not even the Family Head.[9]
Most of these traditions are actually meant for anti-Vampires purposes, as they can reveal if there is a Vampire among them, and ward off against them.[3]
Known upheld traditions:[edit | edit source]
- To have an adventurer or warrior in each generation.[10]
- Not committing suicide even after catastrophic failure, but carrying on and correcting mistakes.[2]
- To having the first letter in their family members name start with ‘Y’.[10]
- To give each other sweets during the Winter Solstice.[11]
- To having their fighting style consisting of a sword and shield.[12]
- To becoming a [Knight] or a [Merchant] to uphold both sides of the family.[13][9]
- Well seeding[9] every well they come at, with a bit of silver dust for good luck, and to ward off the land from monsters like Vampires.[3]
- Attending the birth of the first animal each spring.[9]
- Eating Silver.[9]
- To have a conduct as honest as steel, but pure as silver.
- Breaks and shares the first loaf of bread from a harvest among themselves.[3]
- Writing down their accomplishments, in the Byres ancestral armory vault.[3]
- To have their armor and weapons consisting of silver and steel alloy.[3]
- To always keep enough sets of armor and weapons to fight with. In case they’re needed against monsters like Shape Changers and Vampires.[3]
- To have those pledged to House Byres, even family members, tithe or donate some of their earnings, in a small bowl on a pedestal in the Byres ancestral armory vault, while kneeling before an old mural.[3]
- To bath naked for an hour in the sun, in a natural hot spring with silver basins, right after they arrive at them.[3]
- Exchanging Drinks.[3]
- Walk the lands to check for impurities.[3]
- Make an offering of silver at the shrine, for the Silver Dragon, Yderigrisel.[3]
- Never hold a gathering of the family at night or under a roof.[3]
- Always meet in the sun. Even encourage nude sunbathing.[3]
Strength[edit | edit source]
Family Members[edit | edit source]
- Yitton Byres (Current Family Head)
- Shallel Byres (Married into the family)
- Ysara Byres
- Ylawes Byres
- Yvlon Byres
- Yaltes Byres (Deceased?)
- Yelen Byres (Deceased?)
- Yrendiev Byres (Ancestor, Deceased)
Currently the main family consist of only 5 members which are the Family Head Yitton, his wife Shallel, and their children which are the eldest daughter Ysara, the middle son Ylawes, and the youngest daughter Yvlon.[9]
There are the extended family that live all over the place as well, but currently it’s only the main family that keeps the tradition of having at least one [Warrior] per generation.[3]
Trivia[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Chapter 1.11 R
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chapter 2.32 H
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 Chapter 7.45
- ↑ Chapter 6.42 E
- ↑ Chapter 3.10
- ↑ Chapter 1.11 R
- ↑ Chapter 3.29 G
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chapter 4.45
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Chapter 6.64
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Chapter 3.34
- ↑ Chapter 3.39
- ↑ Chapter 5.40
- ↑ Chapter 6.62 L
- ↑ Chapter 9.37 HO