House Osmont

House Osmont is a major house in the Kingdom of Valley Pines that holds the title of the Lord Protector of the Kingdom of Valley Pines. House Osmont also served as King of the Forestlands.

In A Death at Dawn, there are two POVs from House Osmont: Victoria Osmont (by marriage) and Hadrian Osmont. Before the creation of the Five Great Lands in Mystos in 300 SM, House Osmont ruled as kings after taking the throne from House Trapper in 1188 EAE.

House Sigil
House Osmont's sigil has always been the blackened hawk. When Peyton Osmont split the Kingdom of Valley Pines into two different kingdoms, he created the new Southern House Osmont sigil as an orange oak leaf. Northern House Osmont still use the blackened hawk as their sigil.

Appearance
House Osmont is known for their strong jaw, red hair, and bright green eyes.

Creation
In 1150 EAE, after several human revolts, the Highest Arcs made Halzred Trapper King of the Forestlands. In 1152 EAE, King Halzred Trapper created several Forestland houses to create more human support for the Arcan Empire. Unfortunately, King Halzred died in 1152 EAE, and his son Ghiraham became king.

King Ghiraham Trapper’s reign was known as the Reign of Terror because of the king’s love of murdering humans while praising the Arcs. However, since Ghiraham was murdering “worthless humans '' and not Arcs, the Arcan Empire decided to secretly support and protect the king.

King Lonan Osmont
In 1188 EAE, Ser Lonan Osmont murdered King Ghiraham during the king’s annual “hunting trip,” where he hunted humans for sport. The king’s killing started a rebellion, and the humans placed Lonan Osmont as king. After the fall of the Arcan Empire, House Osmont continued to hold power in the Forestlands. King Lonan signed a decree for the heads of Arcs in exchange for a large payment. This move boosted the infant economy and pleased many humans.

In 1194 EAE, it was discovered that humans with Arcan blood could have a power called the Arts. Wanting to wipe out all Arcs, King Lonan signed the Prick Decree allowing the lawful injection of the prick flower into any human suspected of having Arcan blood. If the flower bloomed, the person would be killed. This decree brought an uproar amongst the common people since it was common for Arcs to have unmarried relationships with humans.

King Lonan Osmont died after dueling with his nephew Sawyer Osmont in 1196 EAE. Since Sawyer won, he became King of the Forestlands, creating the tradition that any person from House Osmont could duel for power.

King Sawyer Osmont
King Sawyer Osmont became king in 1196 EAE after beating his uncle in a duel. He replaced the Prick Decree with the Arts Banishment. Instead of killing every human with Arcan blood, the new decree only banished people who openly showed their Arts abilities to Ihphy’s Archipelago. There were constant demands for duels, all of which Sawyer won until he died in 39 SM at 65. It is believed that he died apologizing to his oldest son, Deryn, for never losing a duel and giving him the title of king.

The Rotating Kings
King Deryn Osmont ruled until 41 SM where he was defeated by his cousin Heller Osmont. King Heller Osmont ruled until 46 SM, when his younger brother, Nolan Osmont, beat him. King Nolan Osmont ruled until 52 SM, where he was defeated by his young niece Clementine Osmont. Clementine was King Heller’s youngest daughter and wanted to avenge her father’s death.

Queen Clementine Osmont
Clementine became queen in 52 SM at the age of 19. She easily beat any dueler, allowing her to have a long and peaceful reign. She died in 106 SM, giving the crown to her eldest child, Cyran. King Cyran Osmont ruled until 122 SM, where he was defeated by his nephew Eike Osmont.

King Eike Osmont
King Eike Osmont used his strength to create a world he envisioned where all humans could live peacefully. He revoked the Art Banishment, allowing Arts users to use their powers openly. The revoking of the Art Banishment angered many humans who were now used to not having Arts users around. In 146 SM, King Eike Osmont died from an illness, and the crown went to his oldest son, Beryn. King Beryn Osmont ruled until 150 SM, when his sister, Neries, forcefully took the throne from him, ending the traditional duel for power.

Queen Neries Osmont
Neries Osmont was born in 128 SM to King Eike Osmont and his wife, Queen Lettice. She had four younger siblings: Beryn, Amity, Roth, and Katelyn. In 146 SM, her father died, and the crown skipped over her and was given to her younger brother Beryn. Neries believed she was the rightful ruler of the Forestlands because she was King Eike’s eldest daughter.

Neries became queen in 150 SM after forcefully taking the throne from her younger brother, Beryn Osmont. Her coronation is known as symbolism for the beginning of the Osmont Golden Age. She was spiteful of Arts users because she could not use the Arts, but she did not want Arts users to be banished or murdered. In 151 SM, she signed the Outlawing of the Arts, allowing Art users to live with regular humans peacefully, but if a person is caught using the Arts, they would be arrested. Many normal humans agreed with the Outlawing of the Arts.

In 152 SM, Neries married Lord Finch Tealoch. They had six children together: Derion, Bowen, Wynne, Berion, Tristan, and Kardia. In 164 SM, while visiting Tealoch, the royal family was attacked by Arts users. Lord Finch, Derion, and Kardia were murdered. In 165 SM, nervous that other houses planned the attack at Tealoch, House Osmont aligned with the citadel. In 167 SM, Queen Neries’ daughter, Bowen, was kidnapped. In response, Neries created the Preservers of the Cleansed Race (PCR). In 170 SM, Arts users delivered Bowen’s tortured corpse to the Black Castle. In dismay, Queen Neries signed the PCR Decree, allowing the PCR to enter any city, town, settlement, or village and persecute Arts users to their discretion.

The Peaceful Period of Queen Neries reign lasted from 171 SM to 206 SM. The highborn and historians call this the Peaceful Period, but commoners and peasants know it as the Dark Years because of the PCR’s constant persecutions.

After falling down a flight of steps, Queen Neries retired, giving the crown to Wynne, her eldest child, in 206 SM. Queen Neries Osmont died in 217 SM at the age of 89.

The Reign of the PCR
Wynne Osmont became Queen of the Forestlands in 206 SM. Wynne was a weak queen who listened to what the citadel and the PCR said. In 209 SM, she married Quint Knotley, the leader of the PCR, even though Neries Osmont disagreed with the marriage. In 210 SM, she had one child, Blight, and died a fortnight later.

After Wynne’s death, Quint placed the two-week-old Blight on the throne. Many highborn were displeased with this decision. Tristan, the last surviving child to Queen Neries, demanded to become king and began to get other houses to back him. In 211 SM, Tristan disappeared, and Queen Neries went to a vegetative state. It is believed that the PCR was behind both incidents.

In 212 SM, Blight Osmont was officially declared the King of the Forestlands with his father, Quint, as his protector and advisor. During Blight’s reign, the PCR had more power and taught the people that humans with the Arts were products of Unmos and humans without the Arts were pure. In 224 SM, Blight married Sisuca, a woman Quint approved. Blight, however, was in love with the baker’s daughter, Irin. Enraged, Sisuca used her Art to murder Irin in 225 SM. This was when the highborn discovered that brainwashed Arts users filled the high positions of the PCR. In 226 SM, Sisuca was executed for her crimes. In 228 SM, Blight married Calamity, another woman approved by Quint. Calamity immediately became pregnant and gave birth to Remane. Blight and Calamity had three other children: Aidel, Blaise, and Myst. The PCR continued to hold power throughout Blight’s reign. King Blight Osmont died in 257 SM.

Remane Osmont became queen in 257 SM. Remane was a shy and quiet woman, similar to her father. With her mother in her ear, she continued to let the PCR do what they pleased. In 258 SM, she married Crexis, a man Calamity approved. Remane and Crexis had three sons: Cypris, Maven, and Prethes. Rename died in 270 SM.

In 270 SM, Cypris became king. Cypris was a careless leader who had a harem of thirteen women called Cypris’ Sighers to protect him and bear his children. In 271 SM, four of the Sighers in the harem were pregnant, angering many highborn. After rumors of an uprising, Cypris sent ten of his Sighers, including the four pregnant Sighers, to the southern part of the kingdom. It is unknown what happened to these Sighers. At the beginning of 272 SM, Cypris left Kingment with his last three Sighers and sought refuge in Silverwood. King Harland Wayward also sought shelter in Silverwood, and the two kings decided that the other houses were a problem and began to plan how to deal with them. In 274 SM, Maven Osmont marched an army to Silverwood and forced Cypris to resign as king. Cypris agreed, and Maven allowed him and his three Sighers to escape to Ihphy’s Archipelago.

In 274 SM, Maven Osmont became king. Maven was an outgoing king and did not let the PCR manipulate him. Maven hated the PCR. As king, Maven began to slash the PCR’s numbers and banned them from doing persecutions in cities. King Maven was beloved by the people, both highborn and commoner alike. In 279 SM, Maven announced that he would create towns in the south where Arts users could live free of persecution from the PCR. In 280 SM, King Maven went missing.

Prethes Osmont was named interim king in 280 SM, while the PCR searched for King Maven. In 282 SM, Prethes was officially crowned King of the Forestlands. As king, Prethes reversed everything Maven did to the PCR. Prethes married Tibetha Oyster in 283 SM. They had three children: Meyor, Fawix, and Devana. The PCR called off the search for King Maven in 285 SM. Prethes died in 294 SM.

Meyor Osmont became king in 294 SM. Nervous about the PCR’s power, he made his sisters Fawix and Devana his advisors and protectors. In 300 SM, Meyor met with the other kings of Mystos and created Lord Protectors and the Five Great Lands. The Lord Protector, Meyor Osmont, changed the kingdom’s name from the Forestlands to the Kingdom of Valley Pines in 300 SM.

The Lord Protectors of the Kingdom of Valley Pines
Meyor continued to rule until 317 SM. Although he never married, Meyor had two bastard children: Haema and Botane.

The Unsteady Lord Haema
Haema became the Lord Protector in 317 SM. Haema attempted to weaken the PCR’s power by moving the headquarters from Kingment to a new town called Shadowhelm in the Bandicoot Badlands near Unmosis region’s border. Only members of the PCR lived in Shadowhelm. In 320 SM, Haema married a woman named Annallee. Many highborn believed Annallee was an Arc because of her pointed ears. In 321 SM, Annallee died giving birth to twin daughters: Seldonna and Eirenem.

Depressed, the highborn convinced Haema to remarry and suggested Atimia Ashe. After getting married in 323 SM, Atimia held all the power. She had three sons with Haema: Therion, Hagiasmos, and Agon. She treated her step-daughters horribly causing Seldonna to commit suicide in 331 SM at the age of nine. In 337 SM, Eirenem and Agon ran away together, never to be found. In 339 SM, Haema died.

Therion and his Conquest
Therion became the Lord Protector of the Kingdom of Valley Pines in 339 SM. He had five children with his wife Phurhace Rainwood: Leram, Hora, Elphabe, Klope, and Menes. Therion married his four daughters off to each Lord Protector, becoming the first generation to marry outside of the Kingdom of Valley Pines. Hora married Dhule Thoren, Elphabe married Delion Gardener, Klope married Necalli Ayers, and Menes married Narrik Wayward.

In 342 SM, Therion expanded the PCR’s powers in the Kingdom of Valley Pines by aligning them with the citadel. This alliance heightened the PCR’s political, religious, and educational power. He also helped cement the PCR’s power in the Mountain Realm. He collaborated in creating a PCR headquarter in the Summerlands, Riverlands, and Grasslands.

Leram became the Lord Protector in 366 SM. Leram didn’t really care about ruling and created the Lord’s Council to do all the work for them. Leram’s son, Cole Osmont became Lord Protector in 371 SM after Leram abdicated his position and left the Kingdom of Valley Pines.

The Ambitious Lord Protector and His Children
Cole Osmont was an ambitious man who wanted what was best for the kingdom. He was the first Lord Protector to give highborn houses loans to build up their city, town, or settlement. He helped build Saltwood Palace, Cales, Eldersgate, Kaindy, and Stonecrest. Cole made several highborn friends from the loans and he placed them in his Lord’s Council. Cole Osmont married Roseen Eastbow and had four children: Carree, Rigard, Aleyn, and Viorrey. In 382 SM, Cole was murdered by Lord Klemmus Helm, the leader of his council. Cole’s legacy is commemorated in a giant statue in the middle of the Lake in the Forest.

After Cole Osmont’s death, all four of his children worked together to gather members of House Helm and execute them. They also disbanded the Lord’s Council. The sibling’s decided to name Carree the Lord Protector of the Kingdom of Valley Pines, becoming the first woman to hold the title. Osmont sibling’s working together in power continued until 496 SM. In 386 SM, Carree married Lord Illiam Branch. Together they had six children: Brendan, Diarmid, Greyse, Hugen, Reina, and Mayl.

Brendan and his son Gilander
In 402 SM, Brendan Osmont became the Lord Protector. Brendan married Katryna Branch and together they had three children: Ealisaid, Teige, and Ivar. Ealisaid was a sickly woman, so when Brendan died in 431 SM, the title of Lord Protector was passed over her and given to Teige. Teige Osmont married Sorcha Clay and they had two sons: Gilander and Morvan.

In 463 SM, Gilander became Lord Protector. In the same year, he married Eileen Arch. In 464 SM, when Eileen was five months pregnant, Gilander jumped from the Tower. Many highborn were suspicious of this apparent suicide because Gilander was a happy man, meanwhile his brother, Morvan always seemed jealous of Gilander’s position. Eileen’s brother, Lord Dogan Arch, attempted to keep his sister in power since it was believed that she would have a son. While traveling to Kingment, Lord Dogan Arch and his entire family were murdered by robbers, ending House Arch. Scared for her own life, Eileen disappeared and was never seen again.

Morvan Osmont
In 464 SM, Morvan Osmont became the Lord Protector of the Kingdom of Valley Pines. In the same year he married Brivela Rainwood and they had three children: Peyton, Falk, and Dimia. Brivela died giving birth to Dimia, making Morvan worse than he already was. Morvan was a treacherous man who believed the Valley people or people who looked like Valley people should rule. He forced Lord Othenel Kiandy to banish his Grasslandi wife, Maleka Waters and his three children because she did not look like a Valley person.

In 480 SM, House Thoren refused his demands that they abdicate their lands to Lord Morvan. In 481 SM, King Alen Ayers and his family visited House Osmont in Kingment. During this time, Morvan had House Thoren murdered in what is known as the Massacre at Goldspire. When King Alen heard the news, he attacked Kingment in an event known as the Burning of Kingment. This attack begins the Single King's War. After winning the Single King’s War in 486 SM, Morvan Osmont is diagnosed with dementia and dies from the disease in 496 SM.

The Sons of Morvan Osmont
In 487 SM, Falk Osmont married Victoria Wayward after she became pregnant. They have four children: Doran, Rosert, Emeline, and Catrain. In 489 SM, Peyton Osmont married Arla Ashe. They have three children together: Hadrian, Leonidas, and Maerwynn.

In 496 SM, Peyton Osmont split the Kingdom of Valley Pines in two and traveled south from Kingment, and created the city King’s Berth. Peyton became the Lord Protector of the Southern Kingdom while his younger brother, Falk, became the Lord Protector of the Northern Kingdom.

A Death at Dawn
In 505 SM, Arla learned that her eldest son Hadrian is not her child. This angers Arla and she brings the Warrior Raiders who were banished in the Unmosis region to the Southern Kingdom to find and kill Hadrian. In 505 SM, Falk traveled to the Mountain Realm and brought back Alice Wayward to marry his eldest son Doran. In 506 SM, Falk Osmont was murdered by Alice Wayward.