THE BRANSTROM BOOK OF PERSONAL HISTORIES
Entry 1
My mother Katherine Branstrom lived her entire early life on the Branstrom estate in Braem. She was the youngest daughter of her family and in many ways spoiled because of it, but she more or less had the typical upbringing of a Minor House Lady in Andor. When she became of age my mother married Darren al’Ashur, my father. He comes from a very wealthy merchant family whose main commodity where the precious stones that often flowed from the many Branstrom mines dotting the House orchards and scattered throughout Braem Woods.
I, Baildan al’Ashur of House Branstrom am their oldest son. The al’Ahur family enjoyed living at or near the Branstrom estate for most of my youth. During that time I looked up to my cousin Velis a’Bekkar as an older brother as we learned and played together. We caused our mothers endless grief at times exploring the abandoned House mines and the deep regions of Braem. I tended to be rather reckless and on more than one occasion, Velis saved me from breaking my own neck down a mineshaft, from wondering too deep into Braem, from drowning in the lake, or from any other combination of foolish wool-head ideas I might have had. Life seemed care free to me at the time, though tensions and troubles existed within the declining House, tensions with both the Queen of Andor and the White Tower. Those troubles eventually hit home when one day, while I was still yet a youth, a terrible incident occurred at the Branstrom estate. A fire broke out and burned it to the ground. My aunt and uncle a’Bekkar were lost in the fire leaving my cousin Velis without his parents. The events shook my mother deeply and as a result my family moved away from the Branstrom estate to one of the al’Ashur manors in Northern Braem, near Kore Springs. There they continued to run the affairs of, and manage the trade and selling of, the gems from the House mines.
My parents played their part in blaming Branstrom’s High Seat for the fire and helped in seeing him deposed and instating a family ruling council instead. House Branstrom has had a ruling Council of Lords in place of a High Seat ever since. After successfully managing the portion of the family gemstone business for several years I was appointed a seat on the House ruling counsel. Recently, my cousin Velis, who also sits on the Council of Lords, has returned to rebuild the Branstrom estate as events have put the House in better standing with the Royal Courts of Andor and the White Tower.
My Father, although pleased with my business skills, has instructed me to enlist in the Queen’s Guard while I serve in my position on the Council of Lords. He feels that military training and discipline will be good for me, and though I may not agree with all of his reasoning on this point, I will respect his wishes. Plus, both my parents sees this a worthy political move; my enlisting in the Queen’s Guard will be seen as a gesture of reconciliation on the part of our House towards the Queen and Court. This is a move I whole-heartedly agree with. If House Branstrom is to regain any of its former glory we must have the support of the Queen and the Greater Houses.
In taking my place on the Council of Lords I have also excepted an invitation from my cousin Velis to moved back to the Branstrom estate and join him in its rebuilding. This I have done and have already taken up rooms in a portion that was rebuilt. Yet I must confess that on my journey back to the estate and home of my youth, a rather fateful and life-threatening event occurred. If not for the quick intervention of Velis on my behalf….I shudder to think what might have happened to me. He just happened to be near at the right time and was able to aid me. Again, Velis came to my rescue as he did countless times when we were so young. I am forever in his debt and will enjoy this journey as I do my best to aid him in reestablishing House Branstrom.
Lord Baildan al'Ashur
Lord Baildan al'Ashur of House Branstrom
Moderator: Builders