House FitzDavenport

House FitzDavenport was originall a cadet branch of House Davenport, a noble family who's members were among the original founders of the Kingdom of Erzoth. Under the wise ruleship of Erz, the House and the Kingdom as a whole prospered, but the disasters that befell Erzoth after Erz's retreat into hibernation hit the FitzDavenports hard. The current heir by the male line, Ricard, has opted to found his own nation, the Kingdom of Donetski.

The House's coat of arms and mottos reference the insomnia suffered by members of the dynasty throughout it's history.

Origins of House Davenport and the Coming of Erz
Before the coming of the dragon Erz, the family who would later call themselves the Davenports were a feudal chiefdom which fought against enemy tribes.

When Erz began uniting the surrounding lands into one nation, King Baen was one of the first to bend the knee and assist Erz in the creation of the new Kingdom of Erzoth. He and his people were awarded lands, incomes and titles. A prominent member of the family, Baen's nephew, Marvin, was given his own lands and founded a cadet branch of House Davenport. He named himself "FitzDavenport" in reference to his origins. In time, both houses prospered.

Splintering and Civil War
See "War of the Davenports"

By the 1030's, tensions were brewing between the erstwhile allies. The FitzDavenports were of the opinion that their father house was exuding tyrannical behavior, while the Davenports contended that the "Fitz's" had turned impious and disrespectful and were bent on usurping Davenport power.

War broke out in 1039 when Darren Davenport invaded the lands of Marvin II FitzDavenport. The fighting raged on for over a year and a half, despite calls by Erz to bring about a peaceful solution. Eventually however, the last of the Davenports were destroyed at the Battle of Raven's Field.

Despite all the odds being stacked against them, House FitzDavenport had emerged victorious, and with no Davenports left, their lands fell, by right of succession, to Lord Marvin.

Erzoth, Post-Erz
While Erz remained, Erzoth and the FitzDavenports prospered, however, when Erz entered hibernation in 1100, fortunes turned against the kingdom. A disastrous earthquake in 1143 supposedly killed a large portion of the family. By the 1180's, the Davenports held no more land and the head of the house, Ricard, was reduced to running a labor camp.

A New Kingdom
Fed up with doing work he considered below his station, Ricard and his half-sister Gwen summoned renowned adventurers from across the world to attempt the founding of a new nation, the Kingdom of Donetski.