The Dark mages

Table of Contents

The Dark Houses are divided between:

the most important Houses of the high nobility (Lyrienne, Malinesse, Blissenne, Clorisse...),

lesser high nobility Houses (Émorie, Veinianie, Saniesse...),

Houses of the low nobility.

Click on the characters' name to learn more about them.

High nobility

House of Lyrienne

The House of Lyrienne is the one of the 2 Houses that founded the Empire of the Covenant 3 millennia ago. It subsequently founded the Dark political faction and led it for most of its existence. The Estate of Lyrienne is a large Estate located in the south of the empire where it and the Alyssennes form a land lock against the Southern kingdoms.
They are known for their line-gift of weather magic, as well as their production of a high-quality silk. The main exports of the Estate is this silk and other are high-quality crafting materials. They also have exceptional crafting skills and occasionally collaborate with the Alyssennes to create crafts.
Symbol: a blooming branch of the poisonous Lyrienne apple trees from the Dark Forest in the Estate of Alyssenne.
Colour: azure blue.

Learn more about them by reading about their neighbours:

Lord Véridice Lyrienne

The House of Lyrienne is now led by Lord Véridice Lyrienne. He is also the uncontested leader of the Dark faction and is known as the Lord of the Dark.
He is a very powerful and charismatic person and is as admired by his allies as he is reviled by his enemies.

Honourable Péregrine Lyrienne

Born as the son of Lord-Consul Cracinesse (see The members of the government), the leader of the government, Péregrine ran away from his father to request Shelter from his House foremost enemies, Lord Véridice Lyrienne. Véridice did agree to protect him, and this apparently went on so well that when Pérégrine became 25 years old, he offered to magically adopt him inside the Lyrienne family, which Pérégrine happily accepted.
Pérégrine is now focusing on politics and plays an important part in coordinating the Dark faction in the name of House Lyrienne.

Age: 40; Skin: dark; Eyes: blue; Hair: dark brown, worn short; Appearance: looks a lot like his blood father; Politics: Dark; Line-gift: unknown; Power level: high nobility.

Lord Rénice Lyrienne

Lord Rénice Lyrienne is Véridice's dead father. He was not well regarded and was the main reason for the erosion of the old alliance between House Lyrienne and House Alyssenne.
He was murdered at a relatively young age, before his son, Lord Véridice Lyrienne, was old enough to succeed him as Lord of House Lyrienne. The Estate was broken up after his death and his son taken to an orphanage in the Estate of Arianie.

Heir Lyrienne from 3 millennia ago

The Heir then Lord Lyrienne from 3 millennia ago and was one of the person responsible for the alliance between the Southern and Northern coalliations that led to the foundation of the Empire of the Covenant.

House of Malinesse

The House of Malinesse rules the biggest Dark Estate in the north of the empire, neighbouring the independent Haut Plateau.
Being able to hold their Estate for a few millennia since their converted to the Dark faction while being surrounded by Light enemies is a testimony to their strength. This has given them a lot of influence in the Dark faction, and after the temporary fall of House Lyrienne, House Malinesse led the faction. Nevertheless, they had the good sense of welcoming Véridice Lyrienne back without a fight, allowing them to become his closest allies.
A series of recent local conflicts have seen many member of the family killed by their Light neighbours. This has embittered them against the Light faction and made relationships very tensed in the north.
The Malinesse main specialisation is in alchemy, and the Estate focus on the production and export of the resulting crafts.
Symbol: a golden dragon.
Colour: red.

Lord Eustache Malinesse

He is very influential in the Dark faction and close to Dark Lord Véridice Lyrienne. He has close relationships with his family.

Age: 80s; Skin: dark; Eyes: dark; Hair: dark, short hair-cut Appearance: unknown; Politics: Dark; Line-gift: illusion magic; Power level: high nobility.

Heir Domitien Malinesse

He is the Heir to the Estate of Malinesse, a very important Dark Estate located in the North of the empire. The Malinesses are closed to Dark Lord Véridice Lyrienne.
Domitien is bonded to Heiress-Consort Obéline Malinesse , the niece of Lord Terrence Blissenne, the lord of the second most important Dark Estate in the North of the empire. Domitien has close relationships with his family but disapprove of his son's, Scion Alisandre Malinesse, courtship of Lady Annabelle Alyssenne.

Age: 60s; Skin: dark; Eyes: dark; Hair: dark, short-hair-cut; Appearance: no hints of a northern accent; Politics: Dark; Line-gift: illusion magic; Power level: high nobility.

Heiress Consort Obéline Malinesse from House Blissenne

She is bonded with Heir Domitien Malinesse and officially joined the House of Malinesse which leads the most important Estate in the North of the empire. She is close to her two families but disapprove of her son's, Scion Alisandre Malinesse, courtship of Lady Annabelle Alyssenne.
She is bonded with Heir Domitien Malinesse, their son is Scion Alisandre Malinesse, her uncle Lord Terrence Blissenne, her cousin Sieur Cyril Blissenne, her father-in-law Lord Eustache Malinesse.

Age: 60s; Skin: dark; Eyes: blue; Hair: dark, long; Appearance: a delicate appearance and she has no hints of a northern accent; Politics: Dark; Line-gift: unknown; Power level: high nobility.

Scion Alisandre Malinesse

He is the heir of the heir of the House of Malinesse and so he is not likely to inherit anything from a long time. The Malinesse were unusual in both the lord and the heir having a child relatively young (for mages), but this was in answer to the death of many member of the family recently.
Contrary to the other members of his family, Alisandre does not loath all Light mages, as seen in his participation in Lady Annabelle Alyssenne's Courtship Rituals. However, everyone suspects that he still has some hidden and obviously nefarious intentions with this... His very close relationships with his family seems to have become tense following the announce of his participation in the Courtship.
Alisandre is skilled in his family's line gift of illusion magic. He is also a skilled alchemist and works in the factories of the Estate as a researcher.

Age: 36; Skin: dark; Eyes: dark; Hair: dark, short hair-cut; Appearance: a tall young man with no hints of a northern accent; Politics: Dark; Line-gift: illusion magic; Power level: high nobility.

House of Blissenne

House Blissenne rules the second biggest Dark Estate located in the North of the empire. They are remarkable both because their Estate is big but also because they have managed to hold it for a millennia in a region surrounded by Light mages.
New 30 years ago, the House has recently been weakened by Lord Blissenne's son, Sieur Cyril Blissenne (see The Zériessiens), the ex-heir of the House, having ran away to an enemy Light House (the House of Zériesse, see The Light mages) to claim Shelter. He claimed to his new friends that his father was abusing him and revealed a lot of the secrets of House Blissenne.
See: Other Estates.

Estate of Blissenne by AmélieIS with wonderdraft

Lord Terrence Blissenne

Lord Blissenne holds a position of influence in the Dark faction and is close to Dark Lord Véridice Lyrienne.
He always had the reputation of a very harsh and implacable man; since his son ran away from him and claimed he was being abusive, all Light mages are convinced that Lord Blissenne is excessively cruel. The events have also weakened Lord Blissenne's standing among Dark mages, although more because he lost control of him and of the secrets of his House than because of the abuse claims.
Lord Blissenne's niece is Heiress-Consort Obéline Maliness, which makes Scion Alisandre Malinesse his great nephew.

Age: 50-70; Skin: dark; Eyes: dark; Hair: dark, short haircut; Appearance: a harsh man; Politics: Dark; Line-gift: unknown; Power level: high nobility.

House of Clorisse

The House of Clorisse rules a medium-size Estate is located on the South-West coast. It is ruled by an important Dark lord said to be one of the closest allies of Dark Lord Véridice Lyrienne.
See: Other Estates.

Estate of Émorie, Clorisse and Saniesse by AmélieIS

Lesser Houses of the high nobility

House of Veinianie

The House of Veinianie is a small Dark House located in the north east of the empire, in the Orage Mountains. The silk they produce is recognised as the second best in the empire behind that of the Lyrienne. They also specialise in weaving and embroidering magic and have a line-magic that reflects this.
The House is Dark, but they are known for their mild political views and their friendly relationships with the Light. Because of this, some of the Dark Houses see them with some suspicion. They do not support slavery or human sacrifice for ritual purpose.
Symbol: a spider
Colour: green.

Lady Veinianie

The Lady of House Veinianie is well respected by her people and works alongside them in the family's silk factories.
She is bonded to Lady-Consort Veinianie and they have two daughters, Heiress Madeleine Veinianie and Honourable Astride Veinianie. She knows of her daughter Madeleine's decision to court Lady Annabelle Alyssenne and, despite her scepticism, she has chosen not to interfere in her political schemes.

Age: unknown; Skin: dark; Eyes: brown; Hair: brown, worn long; Appearance: unknown; Politics: Dark; Line-gift: Weaving, embroideries; Power level: high nobility.

Lady-Consort Veinianie

The Lady-Consort of House Veinianie is from a commoner family from a Light Estate in the region of the Orage Mountains. Rumours are that the lady and lady-consort met in the mountains and were caught out by a storm. They had to take shelter together and by the time they were free to love they were already deeply in love together.
The lady-consort is well respected and appreciated in the Estate of Veinianie despite coming from a Light Estate, a testament to how mild political views are in this region.

Age: unknown; Skin: dark; Eyes: dark; Hair: dark, worn long; Appearance: unknown; Politics: Dark; Line-gift: unknown; Power level: high.

Heiress Madeleine Veinianie

Heiress Madeleine Veinianie is a young woman who knows what she wants and who is determined to get it whatever the means she has to employ to get it. She is amiable and knows how to be charming, but this hides some impressive manipulative tendencies.
As the relationship are getting tense between the Light and Dark political factions, Madeleine understand that House Veinianie is isolated in the Light north and needs allies, which means that as the heiress she herself needs to make a good marriage. This is why she has been getting closer to her neighbour, a Light lady of moderate power, to try to seduce her. However, when Lady Annabelle Alyssenne's opens Courtship Rituals, the occasion is too good to miss and Madeleine immediately decided to participate.
Madeleine loves experimenting with magic, particularly with the weaving and embroideries magic of her family. Like her mothers she works for the family's factories but focus solely on research and pushing the boundaries of what can be done. Her skills are well-known and appreciated in the Orage region, and her participations in Annabelle's Courtship is sure to spread her fame well-beyond that.

Honourable Astride Veinianie

Honourable Astride Veinianie is Lady's Veinianie second daughter. She is the only one in the family not working with silk or embroideries and is instead focusing on healing magic. She has developed a network of healers in the fiefs, as well as education opportunities for them and coordinating health initiatives. She also research diseases and occasionally heal the hardest patient cases herself.
Her passion for healing stems from the fact that she suffers from a chronic pain condition herself. No amount of healing has been able to help her so far, but she is determined to succeed in curing it. Her health has strained her relationship with her family and the inhabitants of the fiefs, as even the people who love her cannot understand how her powerful magic can do nothing against this disease and so they all tend to act dismissively towards her pain and the challenges she faces because of it.

House Émorie

The House of Émorie rules a small Estate located in the South of the empire, next to the independent Haut Plateau.
The Émories are rumoured to have been playing the role of spies for the Dark faction and to have a line-gift linked to this.
See: Other Estates.

Estate of Émorie, Clorisse and Saniesse by AmélieIS

Lord Damien Émorie

Lord Émorie is currently leading the House. He is not one of the most prominent mage of the Dark faction but is nevertheless believed to have some influence thanks to his presumed role as a spy.
Despite being entrenched in the Dark faction, he is not a fanatic member of it willing to hurt the Light at all cost. Indeed, despite his disapproval of his son openly becoming an adviser to the Light House of Alyssenne, he has allowed this to continue.

Sieur Laurent Émorie

Sieur Laurent Émorie is Lord Émorie's second son. He is one of the official advisers of Lady Annabelle Alyssenne, the lady of the foremost Light House and so presumably an enemy.
He has been advising her about the politics of the empire. The fact that he is from a Dark House does not go well with some of the people from that Light Estate, but Lady Alyssenne has chosen to invest him with her trust.

Sieur Laurent Emorie by AmélieIS

Age: 38; Skin: light; Eyes: grey; Hair: dark, short haircut; Appearance: unknown; Politics: Dark; Line-gift: unknown; Power level: high nobility.

House Saniesse

The House of Saniesse is a Dark House located in a small Estate on the South-West coast. It is ruled by a minor Dark lord.
See: Other Estates.

Estate of Émorie, Clorisse and Saniesse by AmélieIS

Low nobility

No Dark Houses of the low nobility have featured in the stories so far.