The Curse of House Salae

The Curse of House Salae, and Falruan's Folly

Minor House Salae has served House Astrakh, and before that, House Grahf, in Grahf province for over 400 years. Their line goes back to Hedderd Salae, of the Salae Clan of Hillsmen, who served Duke Rayard Grahf for twenty years as a man-at-arms and aide-de-camp. Duke Rayard rewarded Hedderd with a holding that included the town of Gravis, and a manor in Grahfton.

Many of the Salae Clan Hillsmen, descended from Tahlic tribes that did not easily assimilate into the Valen dominated Kingdom, came to Grahf to serve their cousin and his House. As a result, House Salae is large and has many side branches, and has a long history of military service to Duke and Crown. During the time of the Khan, House Salae was at the front line against the Khan and his forces, and many Salae men died in battle during those forty years.

House legend has it that Derago KhaiGhitai, later the founder of House Astrakh, still but a lad, ran away from the intrigues and plotting at the Khan's court, and found himself incognito in a camp of House Salae. Eventually, seeing what kind of people they were, he revealed himself and threw in his lot with them. House Salae was, at this time, without a direct liege lord, as House Grahf had been wiped out in the invasion.

Derago came to be respected by House Salae, especially the Baron, Baron Avaris Salae. Derago would always be the first to fight, at the front lines, when House Salae and their Loyalist allies would attack the enemy. Eventually, this respect grew into love. And when Derago himself saved King Amand's life at the Battle of Blood and Flowers, many saw, and his deeds did not go unheralded. When the Khan fell, King Amand rewarded Derago with the Duchy of Grahf. And House Salae swore to follow him.

300 years ago, a young scion of House Salae, Falruan Salae, began to study the arcane arts of magic. He was full of pride and arrogance. This led him to what is now called 'Falruan's Folly.' It is rumored that Falruan found an object in a cave in Straeon province, that helped him commit his folly, an artifact of some sort. Most stories call it a wand, but some call it a staff. With this artifact, quite simply, he successfully summoned a demon that he could not control. As a result, much of House Salae was killed on that night, Falruan, when it was revealed what had been done, was exiled until he could bind or banish the demon.

The rumor is that he went back into Cerdor, following the demon's track. There, he encountered members of Minor House Ravenhart, servants of House Hawke. House Ravenhart has the reputation of being unfriendly to outsiders, especially those from Grahf. The Ravenharts took this opportunity to give Falruan a beating, no doubt for whatever the demon had done in Cerdor, and then took his staff. Or wand. And left him for dead.

He did not die, however. But he never did return home, either. The track of the demon ran cold in Straeon province. And ever since, House Salae has had the worst run of luck that has ever been seen. It is rare that a member of House Salae reaches forty years of age. Many are killed in hunting accidents. Some are killed being thrown from horses.

House legend says that until Falruan's demon can be bound, the curse will remain on House Salae.