House Mallus

An ancient House ruling over the island of Old Iron. Their banner is the color of rusted metal with a shattered gold crown at its center.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Sir Tryllios Diolaris Mallus, Lord of Old Iron. An isolated man who loves to collect lost trinkets and artifacts. He possesses the Oracle's Prophecy.

Livia Valentina Mallus, Lady Wife of Sir Tryllios. Also his second-cousin and of House Mallus.
Titus Marcellus Mallus, Tryllios and Livia's first son.
Gaius Antonius Mallus, Tryllios and Livia's second son.
Thalia Aemilius Mallus/Rangor, fourth wife of Garrick the Kraken and presumed sister of Lord Tryllios. Thalia arrived to the Finger on an attacking pirate ship. The stories differ to the reasoning as to why. Some believe that Thalia is no more than a fisherman's wife turned pirate, who Garrik took a liking too and kept as his wife. To avoid suspicion, he made her an escaped descendant of Mallus, a House of which no one knows much about anymore. Has a daughter with Garrick, Silia Rangor.

Lysal Tertius Mallus, Lady Heir of Mallus during the Burning War. Traveled across the Rusted Sea with her father Marcus Tiberius Mallus. Marcus was called to partake in the Burning War by the Last King. Lysal Mallus became lady of Vaele, having children with the lost bastard Gorm Vaele and starting the Great House Vaele.
Witness Decimus, who fathered Sir Edric the Humble, who later started the Edricson House during the Burning War was of House Mallus, and had ties to the Glore bloodline.

Culture

Many of Mallus are standoffish due to the isolated nature of Old Iron, and how they have grown up with a certain disdain for the Iron Empire that made them stay behind to look over their ancestral home even as it ripped itself apart. But many of House Mallus over the years have traveled away from Old Iron, or fled, to see the rest of the Iron Empire and not all hold disdain. House Mallus are trusting folk who have grown up surrounded by loyalists, and are comparatively easy to manipulate because of this. They are trusting, and sometimes naïve, but overall very smart and determined, for they have had to be to survive on Old Iron.
On Old Iron itself, old customs have started to reemerge, such as the wearing of togas, laurel wreaths on the head, and reconstruction of poetry.

History

House Mallus stems from the nobles that remained on Old Iron during the Great Settling. The island became volatile and near inhospitable, so the vast majority of Ironers traveled across the Rusted Sea with Paramonus, but a few remained. Almost everyone who remained died of erupting volcanoes, sinking land, or lack of food. A few of those that did live, were the nobles of House Mallus, a House that rose during the Triumvirate Era tasked by King Paramonus to safeguard Old Iron and make sure the Iron Kingdom's ancestral home would survive. Completely obliterated by the eruptions, it has taken House Mallus centuries to build back their former glory.
Through trade across the Rusted Sea with the prospering Iron Empire, Mallus has obtained what they lack as well, giving them good grain and clean water, as well as fresh iron. All the important resources were lost in Old Iron, the most important being iron with the eruption of Mount Ferrum. But, while the Iron Kingdom forged out their new empire to the west, Mallus set about reconstructing Gloripoli, the old capital of the island. Gloripoli had been destroyed in the eruptions, but with the volcanic ash giving way to new life while the rest of the island continued to die, House Mallus found Gloripoli to be the only place to survive. They rebuilt on the ashes of a city of unmatched wealth and knowledge, rivalling that of the modern Empire's finest works. Their iron was rusted brown, and the people downtrodden, but they survived.
This detachment has created a powerful loyalty between the people of Old Iron and House Mallus far greater than any other House in the Iron Empire. Mallus protected the people, and the people protected Mallus. Through the trials and hardships of remaining on Old Iron, they have forged an iron bond, and have become very independent. Because of this, as the Ivory Age starts and trade and travel is much more accessible, Mallus and Old Iron remain very detached. They allow the servitude to House Glore, and the spread of the Iron Creed and other such Laws, but remain secluded, distant from the tumultuous politics. They seemingly do not care for the happenings of the Iron Empire, and instead focus solely inward, trying to rebuild Old Iron and uncover long-lost artifacts from a better time.
During recent events of the Emperor's sickness, Mallus has become even more reclusive, pulling far away from the other Houses. This is because of the Priscillan artifact - the Oracle's Prophecy. Due to House Mallus' efforts, it survived the initial destruction of Gloripoli and has been restored, a prized possession of Lord Tryllios. The prophecy is a harrowing story, a grave secret for something to come. Tryllios believes that it will be of import soon and prepares for the prophecy.