Elar d'Thuranni

Baron Elar d'Thuranni is the patriarch of House Thuranni . He founded House Thuranni in blood, when he and his bloodline slaughtered the Paelion bloodline during the Shadow Schism , splitting the family from House Phiarlan . Baron Elar runs the House Thuranni holdings from Regalport in the Lhazaar Principalities . [2]

History

Viceroy of House Phiarlan

Originally, Elar d'Thuranni was known as Elar Thuranni d'Phiarlan, a Viceroy of House Phiarlan under Baron Elvinor Elorrenthi d'Phiarlan . The elves of House Phiarlan bear the Mark of Shadow ; while it manifested in many bloodlines, five bloodlines stood above all: Elorrenthi, Paelion, Shol, Thuranni, and Tialaen. While each of the bloodlines had issues with each other, they all proved a powerful force during the Last War , performing a number of assassinations and constantly turning the tide of the war. [3]

The Shadow Schism

In 972 YK , Knight Superior Kadrath ir'Vardikk of the Order of the Emerald Claw , at the time working as agents of Karrnath , approached Viceroy Elar. Sir Kadrath revealed that the Paelion family was working in conjunction with Breland , and that they were behind an assassination plot against the child king Kaius ir'Wynarn III and his regent, Moranna ir'Wynarn . Sir Kadrath wanted Viceroy Elar to eliminate the Paelions involved before they could strike. [2]

While Elar was hesitant to target his own family, he sought out corroborating evidence. However, his agents uncovered that Tolar Paelion d'Phiarlan , the head of the Paelion bloodline, not only had a plan to assassinate the king of Karrnath, but was planning on assassinating the rulers of all Five Nations , and the other four major families within House Phiarlan, before consolidating power under Paelion. [2]

ShadowSchism

Elar decided he needed to strike first, and fast. He took the best assassins within the Thuranni family, and they struck quickly. Elar killed Tolar personally, and his family killed every Paelion member they could find in the main House Phiarlan enclave in Regalport. Across Khorvaire , other Thuranni stuck as well, bringing an end to the Paelion line. This became known as the Shadow Schism. [2] [3]

The Creation of House Thuranni

Outraged at the betrayal within House Phiarlan, Baron Elvinor declared Elar and his family to be excoriated from the house. Elar's response was to declare the Thuranni bloodline to be its own house—House Thuranni. Naming himself Baron Elar d'Thuranni, he continued to provide services to the clients of the Thuranni line and some of the Paelion line from before the Shadow Schism. [2] [3]

While this is the public story of the formation of House Thuranni, many question these events. Some believe that the Order of the Emerald Claw fabricated all of the evidence, others that the Shadow Schism was the result of secret agents of the Chamber seeking to create thirteen houses, and still more that Viceroy Elar and Baron Elvinor agreed to the split and decided to make Paelion the common enemy. [2] [3]

In fact, the Shadow Schism was the creation of the dragon Shakravar , who had merged with the body of Gaven d'Lyrandar , an independent agent Elar had approached to verify Kadrath's initial claims. Shakravar planted the information for his own ends: he followed the Draconic Prophecy and sought to fulfill a part of the Prophecy as the "Storm Dragon." However, before that, another piece of the prophecy needed to be fulfilled: " The cauldron of the thirteen dragons boils until one of the five beasts fighting over a single bone becomes a thing of desolation. " Shakravar believed that the thirteen dragons were thirteen dragonmarked houses , and that the twelve current houses needed to become thirteen. To do that, Shakravar had to create a thirteenth house, which he did by manipulating Elar. [4] [5]

Elar Today

ElarSharn

Baron Elar continues to lead House Thuranni, even in the face of major competition from House Phiarlan. Elar leads the house from its headquarters in Regalport, the capital of the Lhazaar Principalities. Baron Elar also has holdings in Sharn, the City of Towers . Unknown to most, Baron Elar has also been overseeing the construction of a massive, heavily fortified enclave on the remote island of Stonespur , which has been under construction for two decades. [2]

Tensions between House Thuranni and House Phiarlan remain, with the two houses effectively splitting a post–Last War Khorvaire: Thuranni tends to work with Karrnath, the Lhazaar Principalities, and Q'barra , while Phiarlan works with Aundair , Breland , and Thrane . In addition, Elar has heard rumblings that, much like the Paelions, agents of House Deneith seek to unify the nations of Galifar under House Deneith rule. Thus, Baron Elar keeps a sharp eye on House Deneith and its operations. [3]

Relationships

Baron Elar always has at his side two greater shadows named Wrem and Wrek . These creatures are as dark as night, and as insubstantial as smoke. They serve as the Baron's bodyguards, as well as his agents during the few important times when the Baron himself goes on an assassination. Their origin is unknown. [1] [6]

Appendix

Notes

Elar is depicted in an illustration in Sharn: City of Towers , but the caption misspells his name as "Elan." [7]

Appearances

Novels
Draconic Prophecies : Dragon War
Referenced only
Dragon Forge Rise of the Seventh Moon

References