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The House of Lar
Porphia is ruled by the House of Lar, a long-standing noble family with ties to most of the Calant monarchies. The Porphian branch of the family is by far the most prominent as the only one ruling a sovereign state, but it has widespread connections. The Larians claim descent from the mythical founders of the Calant people and at various times have claimed the thrones of neighboring kingdoms in succession crises. This has helped destroy some of the good will deriving from kinship ties and left Porphia largely without foreign help in its current war. A generation ago, for example, the House of Lar promoted a member of its Ironfell branch for that country's throne, and sponsored nominally independent bands of "volunteer" knights and soldiers in that country's civil war, which the Larians ultimately lost. The only secure ally the Larians have left is the Coeur d'Ennui: the current Duke's mother was a Larian princess, and the Duke has honored this kinship by sheltering King Larolan of Porphia and providing covert aid to the Porphians.
Principal Personages in Porphia and Djorain
—King Larolan the Wise: The current King of Porphia for more than forty years now. Early in his reign he involved his country in the Ironfell Civil War, a widely recognized fiasco, but he has since come to be respected and given the epithet "wise." That term is used mostly ironically today, following Larolan's failure to foresee and defeat the current Djoraini invasion which has left half his kingdom occupied and the king himself in exile in the Coeur. Larolan is advanced in years but still appears vigorous. He has no children.
—Duke Corien du Lar of Nemarie: The sole surviving son of Larolan's deceased sister, Corien is the current heir to the Porphian throne. He rules the Duchy of Nemarie with a firm hand, suppressing republican dissent while spending lavishly on public works. Corien is a seasoned warrior, having cut his teeth leading the Porphian contingent in Ironfell when he was still a teenager. Since then he has fought many wars and is renowned as a clever tactician, in addition to being a personally formidable fighter. He governs nearly a third of Porphia directly and close to half through feudal allegiances.
—Prince Thurien of Nemarie: Corien's only son, the 19-year-old Thurien is second-in-line for the Porphian throne and has been groomed as a future king. He is largely untested in either battle or governance, and has a reputation as a just but hotheaded youth. Thurien is engaged to Princess Marcelli, the only daughter of the Baron of Wenara in Calant South Hold, a match that could lead to either closer ties or war between the two countries when Thurien inherits the barony.
—Count Alain d'Escardy: Larolan's warleader and right-hand man. D'Escardy has usually played the king's peacemaker, keeping fractious nobles in line through diplomacy and force. He is respected, feared and disliked among the country's nobility, a frequent scapegoat for the country's ills when blaming the king would be impolitic. This is particularly the case following d'Escardy's defeat at the Battle of Laros, which opened the door for the Djoraini occupation of eastern Porphia. Also notably, d'Escardy is a bitter rival of Corien. The two served together in Ironfell and had a sharp disagreement on the battlefield; both believe that the other's tactics almost killed them. They have not spoken in more than thirty years despite the best efforts of Larolan to mediate. D'Escardy was captured at Laros but recently ransomed back, and now coordinates Larolan's resistance from exile in the Coeur.
—Earl Diddora: One of Porphia's 11 High Lords, Diddora controls a vast swath of land in northern Porphia. He is regarded as petty, slightly cruel, more than a bit of a coward and not particularly bright, all excellent characteristics for a man now at the center of the Porphia-Djorain war. Due to his quick retreat when the Battle of Laros turned south for the Porphians, Diddora and his vassals have their forces largely intact. However, the earldom's forces are dispersed around the country, isolated and beseiged in individual keeps. Diddora himself is a refugee in his vassals' keeps, his own castle having been taken by the Djorainis as they advanced toward Nemarie.
—Baron Rennau: Barely 16 years old, Rennau inherited his barony with the death of his father in the Battle of Laros. Rennau owes his allegiance to Count Diddora. He was recently slain in the storming of his keep by Djoraini forces, but promptly resurrected by the paladin Goldenhair from the Parthenon.
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