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House Hendrake

Colors: Red and Black
Symbol:
Motto: Never Surrender, Never Retreat

History: One of the oldest of the great houses of Chaos, House Hendrake's origins are lost in the mists of time. The House has been one of the more stable of the old order, well-known for its devotion to warfare, battle and honour, displaying both an unusual degree of battle prowess and loyalty to the Empire. This formidable pairing of traits has at once been both an asset and a hindrance; it ensured that the House was to be a permanent and powerful force in the Courts, yet it has also made them uniquely unsuited to grasp and hold the ultimate power, that of the throne.

In addition to producing the vast majority of Generals and Marshals in the forces of Chaos and much of its rank and file troops, House Hendrake also oversees the blacksmithing and sword and armor-making which Yarris (the ancestral ways of Hendrake) is well known for. A Hendrake sword or suit of armour is a valued possession many would- and have - killed for. Among the warriors of the House themselves, their arms take on an even more meaningful light, being the soul of the warrior.

When the betrayal of Chaos by the House of Barimen occurred, House Hendrake looked on the new era as one of challenges - now there was an outside, which meant that wars would no longer be merely internal in nature. The destruction of the enemy had yet to be confirmed; for all anyone knew, the rebellion was still alive and well. House Hendrake built its armies in preparation for a battle that it was sure would occur, honing its battle skills by fighting wars almost constantly in Shadow, practicing a "survival of the fittest" philosophy which (theoretically) the weaker members of the House fall in battle, and only the strongest survive to carry on Hendrake's tradition of battle.

House Hendrake's desires towards Amber were tempered somewhat after the first war against Amber, when they were able to push to Amber, but no further. Benedict became somewhat of a cause celebre among the echelons of the house, especially after it became known that the blood of Benedict of Amber had entered into the family through the branch of Lintra, a dalliance that resulted in Mayal Hendrake. Possibly because of this, the Hendrakes now have no particular prejudice against Amberites, indeed, any visitor to Yarris will find numerous shrines to Benedict littering both castle, towns, and countryside.

Hendrake supplied a great deal of the front-line troops during the Patternfall War, and took many casualties, including the loss of both the head of the House, Duke Larsus, and the heir, Lord Borel. This led to Hendrake being somewhat diminished for a time, but it quickly regained its strength under the capable leadership of Larsus's widow, Duchess Belissa Minobee, until she returned to the House of Minobee following her son's death.

Many believe that the Hendrakes are not very good a scheming, but this is not so. They place great value on their honour, and as such do not countenance some tactics that the other houses employ. Because of their (relatively) straightforward manner, they have historically been easy allies for more scheming houses on the conservative side (Helgram and Ysarn). Even with their bent towards conservatism, members of the Hendrake family have always been found in all political factions. With their losses so heavy in the Patternfall war, there are factions within Hendrake that have advised that their honour may be killing the family- in some cases, in a literal manner, the most obvious example being Borel's fall to Corwin. It remains to be seen if the House will remain as predictable and dependable as they have been in the past.

Notable Personages

Duke Larsus Hendrake: The Late Duke of Hendrake, General.

Larsus was killed by Prince Julian During the Battle of the Courts of Chaos. He was married to Belissa Minobee, who upon his death became the Duchess of Hendrake.

Lord Borel Hendrake: The Late Master of Arms of the Ways of Hendrake.

Borel was killed by Corwin during the Patternfall war through underhanded tactics. The son of Larsus and Belissa Minobee, he had two brothers as well as a half-brother and half-sister. It was Belissa's plan that he be married to Lady Dara.

Lady Lintra Hendrake: Commander of the forces of Chaos in Avalon during the Patternfall war.

Also known as a Hell-maid, it is rumored that Lintra was 'involved' with Benedict. Their 'dalliance' was apparently ended when she cut off Benedict's arm but was subsequently killed by him.

Lady Mayal Hendrake
Daughter of Lintra Hendrake and Benedict of Amber.

Lady Gilva Hendrake: General of the forces of House Hendrake

A niece of Belissa Minobee and a cousin to the deceased Borel, Gilva is the most renowned warrior of her generation among Hendrake (and perhaps amidst all the Courts), and is rumoured to have been the lover of Merlin of Sawall in her younger days. Gilva has risen high in the ranks of Hendrake in the decades following the Patternfall War, winning titles and honour through an ever-increasing skill in battle.

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