House Arelius

House Arelius is a monarch faction who once ruled half of the Rosegold Continent before the assassination of their Monarch, Tiberian Arelius. After his death, House Arelius lost most of their territory and were reduced to a shadow of their former selves. Aside from the main branch on Rosegold, there exists a lesser branch on the Ashwind Continent in the Blackflame Empire who provide janitorial service. Contact between the two branches is possible due to a gateway portal that opens between the two continents every ten years or so.

Locations

Main branch on Rosegold Continent. Controlled most of the continent, up until recent death of Arelius Monarch Tiberian Arelius. The Arelius family has branched out to every continent, most relevant to the plot is the Ashwind Continent and specifically the Blackflame Empire.

“House Arelius used to rule over most of the Rosegold continent, before the tragic death of the Monarch Tiberian Arelius only eight years ago. But his descendants are still a force to be reckoned with, leaving branches on every continent!” (Uncrowned, ch 16, Announcer at Uncrowned King Tournament)

Founder, Grand Patriarch

Penance

Eithan, on his knees, stared at the arrowhead with an intensity
Lindon had never seen. His smile was long gone. The messenger
smiled at their reaction. “Long ago, the founder of House Arelius
created this weapon which he called Penance. It is a penance for
its target and, unbeknownst to most, its creation was an act of
penance by its creator.

-Uncrowned, chapter 20

Ozmanthus Tiberian Merethian Arelius - Ascended from Cradle about four or five thousand years ago, maybe more. The Founder and First Patriarch of House Arelius who created the Arelius Senses (see Bloodline Abilities), the weapon Penance, and the Reaper’s Scythe. A virtuoso soulsmith. He mastered the Labyrinth to a large degree. He rose to Monarch rank and then ascended, after leaving behind a message to his descendants. He eventually became an Abidan Judge called the Reaper, aka Ozriel, aka Double-O Eight. Recently, an Abidan representative offered Ozmanthus’s arrow Penance to the winner of the 18th Uncrowned King Tournament. It will kill anyone with just a word — including Monarchs and Dreadgods.

Famous Bloodline Ability

“I have a thousand eyes and ten thousand ears.
I know everything that happens within range of
my spirit, so as soon as an enemy starts to move,
I simply step aside. It's like fighting the blind.”

-Soulsmith

Arelius descendants inherit the famous Arelius Senses, a bloodline ability which was originally developed by the House Founder and First Patriarch, Ozmanthus Arelius. This inheritance provides an invisible web of detection madra that surrounds the sacred artist for a distance, gathering information of all sorts. The stronger the artist, the further the distance. Miles and miles even.

A Word from Will Wight: “Spiritual perception and the Arelius bloodline power work differently. Spiritual perception is able to feel spirits, madra, and aura; basically spiritual powers. The Arelius bloodline power extends your physical senses.” (Abidan Archives]

• See much more detail at Bloodline Abilities

Dueling Blindfolded

At the 18th Uncrowned King Tournament, Altavian Arelius duels Yerin Arelius, blindfolded.

Arelius versus Arelius...this arena had been designed with their bloodline abilities in mind. The close square pillars would block sight and make hearing unreliable, so spiritual perception and Arelius bloodline senses would be the best way to navigate the fight. And Eithan had forced her to complete his spiritual perception course. Had he known, even then, that they would be in this situation? Yerin gave him a wary look from the side. If he had anticipated this far ahead, then she should be a little afraid of him. He kept looking to the center of the arena, but leaned to the side to speak to her. “Good thing we trained your perception, isn't it? This could have been awkward.” Yerin relaxed. Sometimes she forgot Eithan was only human. (Uncrowned, ch 16)

Arelius Family Members

Monarch Tiberian Arelius

Tiberian Arelius -- Died several years before the Cradle series begins. Master of lightning madra, storm, on the Path of Raging Sky. A good and wise Monarch. He developed the Pure Storm Baptism treatment that can heal a mangled spirit (see Ziel). He promoted young Eithan Arelius to be his advisor because he was able to access the historic Founder’s laboratory.
Sadly, Tiberian was assassinated by his neighboring ruler on the Rosegold Continent, the white lion Reigan Shen. Against the advice of Eithan Arelius, Tiberian approached Shen with a plan and information on Subject One and how to destroy the Dreadgods. Instead of helping him, Shen killed him. The ambitious lion plans to use that information to become the only world-wide ruler. He keeps the Remnant of Tiberian in his void key, enslaved to use as a weapon (see Reaper, ch 16).

Eithan Arelius —- Lindon’s teacher. He says he was born on the Rosegold continent and spent some of his childhood in the Blackflame Empire on the Ashwind continent. He says he moved back to the Rosegold Family Seat and became advisor to the Monarch, Tiberian Arelius. After Tiberian died, he moved back to the Blackflame Empire. As an Underlord, he serves emperor Naru Huan in battling extreme enemies. See his page for more details. Eithan Arelius

The Arelius Sage

Cladia Arelius is the Sage of a Thousand Eyes, aka The Oracle Sage. She manifested the Oracle Icon. Her Overlady Revelation was similar to Eithan’s: I see. She has the Arelius madra-webbing, information-gathering bloodline ability.

Oracle Sage

“The Sage of a Thousand Eyes can see you anywhere I can.”
So Lindon had heard correctly earlier. He looked back at the
woman who looked like she might have been Eithan’s mother.
The Oracle Sage, or the Sage of a Thousand Eyes, hadn’t
been active since the death of her Monarch.

-Wintersteel

Cladia is an older woman, but not elderly. She has grey-blond hair and blue eyes. Her demeanor is relaxed and faintly amused. When Reigan Shen killed Tiberian, she nearly died too, and was thought dead by some, but she appeared alive and well during the Uncrowned King Tournament. She lives in the Arelius homeland on Rosegold. Her home is scripted, secret, hidden underground, but the land has been destroyed by Shen, the countryside covered in ash. Cladia is on friendly terms with Eithan at the tournament. As the Arelius Sage, she takes him back to their Rosegold home for supposed training after he makes it to the semi-final round of eight contenders. He advances to Overlord in a few seconds, just before they sit for dinner (Wintersteel ch 7).

Veris & Altavian

Veris and Altavian Arelius are cousins on the Arelius homeland, the Rosegold continent. They are about 30ish years old, with blonde hair and blue eyes. They competed at the 18th Uncrowned King Tournament, in Uncrowned, book 7. Eithan calls them “cousin” although his precise relationship with them isn't clear.

Jumping out of nowhere wasn’t nearly as satisfying when the other party could feel you coming. “Cousin Veris, a pleasure to see you again. I’m afraid I don’t have too much time, I just thought I’d make a request of your House. Could you perhaps consider not giving me a prize?”. (Uncrowned, ch 18)

Veris Arelius - Underlady who competed in Uncrowned King Tournament and lost to Eithan. At Eithan’s request (via Oracle Sage), she gave her award to Wei Shi Lindon — an elixir that strengthens his iron-forged body. (See Iron body). “This is a reward for your hard work so far,” Veris continued, “but we also consider this an investment. House Arelius needs allies now more than ever, and we hope we can count on your loyalty.”
Altavian Arelius - Underlord. Cousin to Veris. He competed in 18th Uncrowned King Tournament and lost to a blindfolded Yerin. (Uncrowned, ch 16). At Eithan’s / Cladia’s request, he gave Yerin Arelius his award, Diamond Veins elixir. See Magical Items

Descriptive scene where Yerin meets Altavian and Veris:

In the brightly tiled and decorated hallways leading to their waiting room, Yerin and Eithan ran into the House Arelius team. If that was a coincidence, Yerin would eat her sword. Veris Arelius, the remaining Underlady, was the House Arelius woman they had met during the second round. She was tall and long-limbed, with blue eyes that shone like a sharpened blade and yellow hair tied into a braid. Yerin had never seen Veris’ partner in the flesh before, but she'd looked up dream tablets on House Arelius since the last round. Altavian Arelius was in his early thirties, and his blond hair was almost white. He stood as tall as Lindon but not as broad, with legs built for running and arms for reach. The sword on his back was twice the length of Yerin’s, and his Goldsigns were his razor-sharp nails. He was a sword artist who specialized in Enforcer techniques; in her dream tablet, she'd seen him cut through three individual opponents in a row during the second round. Altavian's blue eyes were as peaceful as a lake on a windless day, and he looked as calm as though he walked around in a meditative trance. He bowed when he saw her, but otherwise said nothing. (Uncrowned, ch 16)

Family in Blackflame Empire

Gaien Arelius, Patriarch. Truegold Advancement Level. Cassias is his son.

Gaien Arelius was therefore very important here, but Lindon didn’t care much for the aging Truegold. He had far more respect for Gaien’s son, the next heir to the Blackflame branch of the Arelius family: Cassias Arelius. (Reaper, ch 6)

Cassias Arelius - A member of the Blackflame branch of House Arelius. His father is Gaien Arelius, the erstwhile Patriarch. Cassias was on track to become the branch's Patriarch, before resigning that position to Eithan in order to marry Naru Jing, a member of the Blackflame Empire's Imperial Clan. They have a young son. Cassias is on good enough terms with Eithan, even if he finds him frustrating to work with. Cassias is protective and friendly towards Lindon and Yerin.

Adopted by Arelius

Yerin Arelius - An orphan. She was only Lowgold at about age 16 when she was adopted into the Blackflame branch of the family by Eithan Arelius, after the death of her master the Sword Sage. She first meets Eithan in book 2, Soulsmith.

Wei Shi Lindon Arelius - An ex-patriot with family in the Wei Clan of Sacred Valley, he was about 15 years old and only a lowly Copper when he first met Eithan Arelius. Soon afterwards he was adopted into the Blackflame family branch. Eithan mentors him. See book 2, Soulsmith.

Bargain to Restore House Arelius

In Wintersteel, Reigan Shen is at the Uncrowned Tournament, waiting to see who will win and hedging his bets. He is aware that the arrow Penance could be used to kill him, so he doesn’t want his enemies to win the tournament. After Eithan defeats the Nine Cloud contender Sha Miara in only nine seconds, Shen begins to fear that he might win the Tournament, so he makes a deal with him to throw the next match.

Bargaining Begins

“This need not be a long process,” the Monarch said. “Tell me
what you want, so that I may give it to you.”

Eithan stopped himself short of saying “Your head on a platter.”
Not only would it set the wrong tone, it wasn’t what he wanted.
If Reigan Shen didn’t die to a new generation of Monarchs
raised by Eithan, that would be the real tragedy.

-Wintersteel, ch 10

A bargain is struck: If Eithan will throw the match, Shen will send Rootfather Garrylondryth, a green dragon Herald who heals nature, to restore the war-torn Arelius homeland. He will also pay a billion scales to House Arelius and lend one year of protection from his own Herald, Yushi. He will also ensure evacuees from the Blackflame Empire are allowed safe passage when the Dreadgods attack. He will give Eithan his soul forge, kept in a void key. And new clothes. (Wintersteel ch 10)