Akura Clan

The Akura family is a Monarch level faction which rules over half the Ashwind continent, led by Monarch Akura Malice.

Family members

• Monarch Akura Malice (and see Ashwind Continent History)
  • Malice is ancient and has given birth to hundreds of offspring
• Akura Mercy, the heir, Malice’s daughter, a teenager, rank varies
• Akura Charity, a Sage, Malice’s granddaughter, Fury’s daughter
  • Old Man Lo, Overlord, balding and short, serves Charity, possibly related (Ghostwater, ch 6)
• Akura Fury, a Herald, Malice’s son, born before she advanced to Monarch
• Akura Pride Mercy’s younger brother, Underlord, Malice’s son
• Akura Grace cousin to Mercy and Pride, Underlady, an only child, beloved daughter
• Akura Justice — a relative, old guy, Archlord, gatekeeper, etc

• Akura Harmony (Truegold from distant branch of the clan, Charity calls him grand-nephew, previously engaged to Mercy)

Sacred Arts

Shadow aspects, shadow aura, shadow madra (see Madra), because the Monarch Akura Malice manifested the Shadow Icon when she advanced to Sage. The clan’s typical Goldsign is hands and forearms covered in black, looks like tar. This Goldsign dates back to the Path of the Chainkeeper, before Malice was born, perhaps.

The head family is distinguished by bonding with spirit books, the Book of Eternal Night, created by the Monarch herself. This book includes various shadow-based Paths, including Mercy’s own Path of Seven Pages. Likewise, Charity's Book of the Silver Heart contained seven techniques of shadow and dreams, so Charity lived in a world of abstractions. Of thoughts and visions. Her plans were so far beyond Mercy that Mercy could never comprehend them, but she tended to lose sight of other human beings. (Underlord ch 12)

Branch families follow other shadow Paths.

The Akura bloodline ability is madra that enables expanding purple crystal armor, with amethyst crystallized eyes , which is related to eye color trait — all of Malice's blood descendants have purple eyes.

“The Book of Eternal Night,” Mercy announced, holding her book up proudly. “I'm on the Path of Seven Pages. And the first page, the Lowgold page...” She opened the cover, revealing the first page. It looked more like a thumb-thick tablet than a piece of paper. Yerin wondered if it contained a binding. This page was choked with more incomprehensible script-circles instead of plain writing. Not that Yerin would have been able to get anything from it either way. “It's the central technique from the Path of the Chainkeeper,” Mercy said. “Strings of Shadow. There are seven techniques in this book, one for each page. The Path of Seven Pages unites seven techniques from seven different shadow Paths into one.” (Ghostwater ch 13)

• See also Paths and Akura Paths

Relations and Territory

The Akura have relationships with many other factions all over the world, being a Monarch faction. They are widely respected and are not opposed lightly.

Their territory stretches to half the Ashwind continent, and is partially controlled by their vassals, including Emperor Naru Huan of the Blackflame Empire and King Dakata of the Seishen Kingdom

They share the continent with Seshethkunaaz, Monarch of Dragons. They are 'vigilant' against the non-human factions, as those are not places human civilisation can flourish, and believe it would be a 'loss to humanity as a whole' if they were to lose territory.

Vassals

The Akura clan has several vassals that we know of by name. The Frozen Blade School is run by Min Shuei, a sword Sage. Little is known about the Temple of Rising Earth. The relatively small and weak Blackflame Empire plays a key role in the series. The neighboring Seishen Kingdom also features in some books. Also, the Wintersteel mining community known as Sky’s Edge is theirs. Akura also controls Sacred Valley but only from a distance, and mainly by prohibitions keeping everyone out of the Labyrinth. There are probably more vassals.

More

• Akura Paths
• Bloodline Abilities (Akura Armor)
• Monarch factions