Eraden and the History of Clan Rayleigh by Kardie (Patreon)

 Lady Eraden Rayleigh of Clan Rayleigh is a peculiar dragonborn indeed. Hailing from the Aslanian Province in the east, she is over one hundred years old and is among the most powerful Mages in the land. She is the former Prelate of the Raven Knights and one of the few lizardkin to hold the honor of joining the order. 

At the end of the 'Baptism of Fire'; Clan Edleray was one of the Houses that opposed Emperor Gamel and his daughter's plan to continue hostilities with the furkins. A relatively young clan, it held strong ties to the dragonkin of Drakon and their progenitor Harad, Dragon of the Four Corners, whose descendent, Damaray Silverscale, had founded the house. Marrying a young mage and dragonborn named Norsia Edlenn, they formed house Edleray nearly 350 years ago.

When Harad and his dragonkin had turned on the Saurians for disobeying Salamus' edicts to end the hostilities, many Saurians, especially dragonborn, refused to fight. Most did not wish to take up arms against the children of Harad or defy Salamus and the Stone King's edicts. As the most vocal noble house opposing the plan, Gamel decided to make an example of Clan Edleray and killed it's Lord and Lady as well as many of it's kin. Few escaped the slaughter.

Eraden's mother fled south with her husband and was captured by the Border Legion, whom they begged for asylum. This Asylum was granted by Andessian Aslan, Regent of Aslan and cousin of the one day Archduke of Aslan; Gareth Aslan. As Gareth was five at the time, Andessian actively ruled Aslan under the lordship of Queen Alanzia. Though he hated lizardkin, Andessian was both wise and pragmatic. He saw the value of of having the survivors of Clan Edleray under his control.

After confirming the Saurian's did indeed plan to continue the war, with one final battle, Andessian decided to use the Edlerays. In order to grant them Asylum, they'd have to swear fealty to House Aslan and fight with them during the battles. The Edlerays were made to take oaths under powerful magic incantations to ensure their loyalty and were made apart of Regent Aslan's court. After helping bring about great victory for the furkin armies, Clan Edleray was formally banished from Sauria and the clans members seen as shameful traitors to the Saurian crown.

Though intending to keep the dragonborn underfoot, Andessian was surprised when Queen Alanzia order him to reward clan Edleray with one of the lost Baronies in Aslan. They received the baronage of Leigh Eraden's mother, Irendya was awarded the land and the noble title of Baroness. She would rename the clan, clan Rayleigh and serve the House Aslan and the Lincourt Crown from the day forward.

Over two hundred years later, Eraden Rayleigh graduated from the Magus Librarium Academy in Asher and was almost immediately approached by the Order of Raven Knights to become their Prelate. She would serve as the Prelate of the Raven Knights for some sixty years before retiring after the battle of Herald's Keep.

After losing many comrades and having defeated and killed many of her kin from Sauria, Eraden suffered further pain and humiliation as the Lioncourt nobility insinuiated she hadn't done all she could to protect her King and country. Some even suggested that her loyalties were not to Lioncourt. Unsettled by the death of King Legault and wanting to lash out, many demanded she be relieved of her station. With the Order of Raven Knight's devastated by the battle and their Primus gone, the decision would have fallen to the newly crowned King Eriol. 

To make matters worse, the controversy came on the heels of Eriol dismissing his fathers 'Captain of the Guard', for incompetence in duty; though Captain Harlem had been forced from the King's side by the King's own order to go find and make safe the crown prince. A very unpopular decision among the nobility and knighthood, Eraden was worried the King was being place in an unfavorable position in regards to her.

Eraden was dismayed to find the young and grieving King refused to hear any talk on the subject of Eraden's loyalty and threatened to have nobles who kept bringing it up flogged. To save the King from another unpopular decision, Lady Eraden resigned her commission willingly, returning to Leigh and her family.

Leigh's bravery and heroics during the battle may have gone without notice by many of the Lioncourt nobility, but not by the Saurians. She'd killed many dragoons, mancers and mages during the battle. House Rayleigh was a name cursed in many Saurian halls and death threats had been sent on many occasion. Clan Rayleigh are again headed toward rough times.