House Antar

House Antar is the reigning house in the Kingdom-Republic of Voltaani. Their sigil is a golden serpent with two heads on a purple background, carrying a sword in one mouth and a sceptre in the other, coiled upon a pile of coins. Their ancestral weapon is the highly-decorated falchion, Moredura de la Serpiente.

History
The Kingdom-Republic of Voltaani is a pale shadow of the Empire of Voltaani, which for the longest time, was considered a world power. Founded by Esti the Iron 600 years prior to the rise of the Way of Aavar, the Empire of Voltaani was one of the largest and most prosperous empires of the Historic Era, and a jewel among the kingdoms of the Endosi. Their trading empire spanned the globe, and they were the first to plant their flag upon the soil of Orlandis, though it was never regarded as more than a minor trading colony.

In the First Age of the Avaar Era, the end of an era had spread to the Endosi homelands. The Way of Avaar tore its way through country after country, uprooting old religious systems. Only the stubborn Empire of Voltaani refused to bow to the pressures put upon them to convert, and for that, they paid dearly. Over the next decade, pressures mounted between them and their neighbors. Trade began to slow, and ultimately cease, as the entire rest of hte world endeavored to starve out the arrogant culminating in a holy war known as the Final March. One hundred thousand soldiers, including eight thousand Knights of Avaar, rode into the Empire of Voltaani. The fighting lasted a mere few weeks, taking many tolls, including the royal family, most of the Imperial Army and the entirety of the original Guardia Real.

Those who had anticipated this had chosen, rather wisely, to prepare their own evacuations: sixty massive ships bore noble families, retainers, and collectives of highly wealthy freemen across the sea, in total, bearing 30,000 refugees. Falling to the predations of pirates, shortage of supplies, and the desperation of their own comrades, however, the final tally was grim: only 8000 survived on a mere 13 ships, which would be known as the Thirteen Imperial Remnants. As they landed on the nearly-neglected trading colony, however, the situation did not improve.

The Kingdom of Caelia, long-time inhabitants of the Verge, had not taken kindly to the colonists, and raids had left the trading post desolate and in fear. The noble houses, and the remnants of the Imperial Army, geared up for one last stand against the Exlandic raiders, but one voice managed to prevail: the voice of King Thiago I Antar, who, due to ancestry, was now the legitimate heir of what remained of the Voltaani Empire. He advocated concessions, at least until a mission was sent north, to recruit allies from the foreigners of Orlandis.

For three years, an uneasy peace existed between the now-Kingdom of Voltaani, and the Kingdom of Caelia. The tribute sent to pacify Caelia became smaller and smaller, until it inevitably ceased. When Caelia demanded satisfaction, they were met with a heavy collection of mercenaries, pulled from kingdoms far to the north. In the 73rd year of the First Age of the Aavar Era, the Kingdom of Voltaani fought the first war against Caelia, ending, as many would, in a stalemate.

Tension continued between Caelia and Voltaani, only ceasing with the intervention of Dierk the Conqueror, and his conquest of both kingdoms. Under the High King of Orlandis, Voltaani had begun to slip away from a centralized monarchy, towards a more equal partnership between nobility and the monarchy. As well, intermarriage became commonplace between Caelian and Voltaani nobility, strengthening ties between the two nations. The institution of the Paragon of the West was one of the strongest seals in a friendship between the two countries.

(WIP)