The Oldest Families of Resta

The following is an except from The Oldest Families of Resta, a book written by noted Restan genealogist, Elvira Blackstone, whose renown is borrowed from her famous brother. In it, she briefly describes the history and paragons of each family to have ever held the Restan throne or a governorship. While some of these families are close to extinction, some have flourished to the point that their names are incredibly common across the full spectrum of Restan society.

For some, it’s rather common to encounter a person who shares the name of someone who is already in your life. It is a source of great pride to have such a name, as we still associate them with the legacies of great historical figures. While the purpose of this text is to attempt to clarify the relational links between each of the families that carry these names, I would be remiss if I did not begin with a brief overview of the family names you need to know about most.

Blackstone

Sigil: Three black mountain peaks on a powder blue field

The Blackstone family rose to prestige when Carla Blackstone fought for the first time in the name of Chaos early in the Second Age. It was she who founded the world-famous Blackstone Monastery. In the centuries since, the Blackstones have been the only family to have held the throne of Resta for more generations than the Clarks. Sadly, our numbers have dwindled in recent years due to in-fighting and a tradition of military service. Our legacy lives on today in the form of Blackstone Farm, Resta’s largest producer of food. I am also proud to call two of its latest paragons, Clint and Richard, my brothers. Despite Richard’s terrible and confusing betrayal, no man has ever done more in the name of Crane.

Clark

Sigil: Golden Shepard's crook on a black field

The Clark legacy is one of great charity. Every generation of this once-prestigious family was known for providing the less fortunate with their boundless generosity. The Clarks were particularly known for the pioneering of medical mysticism, which combines magic with modern scientific techniques to produce healers more capable than any doctor or mystic. The most notable paragon of this family was Emile Clark, a shepherd who once supplied food to a village wasting away in famine by sacrificing all of his sheep. This family died out in the Second Age, with the extinction of their line at the hands of the Scarlet Starlings.

Dario

Sigil: Silver Hawk on a Forest green field

Unlike the other families covered in this book, the Dario name originated in the western part of the country as recently as the latter half of the second age. The first Dario was Dario Marle of Seres. Upon aiding in Karen Blackstone’s successful coup against the Restan throne, Dario was granted his own house and legally renamed Marlon Dario. The Dario family has flourished in the time of Geos, but have fallen from grace since the victory of the Second Archknight. Despite this, the Dario family still survives, aided by a reputation for being amiable and generous.

Desmond

Sigil: Black mammoth on a field of white

Centered in the north, the Desmond family have long hunted large game in the borderlands. They are particularly isolationist and typically do not venture far beyond their frosty villages. The few who have, such as Jacob and Zera Desmond the famed vigilantes or Samantha Desmond, the equally famed spellwarrior, have all made waves with their grand presences. Over the years, this has given the Desmond clan a notable reputation for producing martial excellence from nothing.

Harret

Sigil: Two crossing spears on a field of iron-grey

The Harrets are a simple clan living in the southern part of Resta. Although few can attribute the name to anyone famous, the Harrets have become known for breeding like rabbits. While researching this family, I kept getting pointed in the direction of the Restan Army. RAI personnel data painstakingly availed to me indicates that there are more Harrets in the Army than people of any other name, a fact that lends itself to their sigil. Moreover, it seems that nearly everyone in Resta has at least one Harret in their family tree.

Maloran

Sigil: White wolf on a field of black

Like the now-extinct Midas clan, the Malorans have their own volume in the pages of Hem Academy’s distinguished history. Their contributions to the school has had a profound impact on its policies, including their practice of taming wolves as mounts and companions. The Malorans have a deep connection with the principles of magic, but none more so than its most recent paragon, Gyanda Artix. Gyanda, despite a troubling history of blood magic and violence, is the third man in history to claim the title of Archknight.

Marle

Sigil: White sunburst on a field of blue

Its a matter of much debate who the eldest Marle is. Many attribute the name to an Erisian scholar named Colton Marle . However, fringe historians often contend that the name began in the unsettled lands that would become Necros and later part of Resta. In recent history, a Marle named Sara was proclaimed Serenity's champion and has served her all the way until her murder prior to the coming of Geos. Like their latest paragon, the Marle family has a storied tradition of piety.

Winstrom

Sigil: A black stallion on a field of crimson

The Winstrom family is best known for its storied tradition of loyalty to Crane. It is also the single oldest family for which historical records can be found. Following the split that took many people into the southlands of Eris, many Winstroms stayed behind to help form the kingdom of Necros. There, the Winstrom family ruled for several generations before being forced to consolidate its lands with Coronos following a heavy brush with the Curse of Suffering.